Yukon Fisheries News
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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Yukon PAID Anchorage, AK Fisheries Permit #643 News m A Publication of the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association SPRING 2008 New Escapement Goal & Method for Counting Salmon Adopted By Bob DuBey, Ph.D., Fisheries Biologist YUKON RIVER DRAINAGE Yukon River salmon fish- how commercial, subsistence, FISHERIES ASSOCIATION eries management has begun and sport fisheries will be man- A United Voice for a new chapter. In April the aged throughout the fishing Downriver and Upriver Yukon River Panel agreed to season. Fishermen. switch from the long-stand- ing mark/recapture program WHY IS THE NEW GOAL ONLY to a newer method involving FOR ONE YEAR? Inside This Issue: sonar to measure border pas- A one year goal reflects an sage estimates of Chinook and adaptive approach to manage- A Message From The Director ........... 3 fall chum salmon returning to ment that allows adjustments YRDFA Thanks Annual Meeting Canada. And since the sonar as more information becomes Supporters .......................................... 4 method yields different num- available. Every year there will bers for Chinook salmon than A Chinook salmon spawning stream in Canada, be more information from the YRDFA Board Resolutions 2008 ........ 4 the old program, the Panel near Dawson City. sonar project and escapement Voices From The River ...................... 5 also adopted a revised escape- survey data, and biologists can ment goal for Chinook salmon in Canada’s por- use this data to refine the goal. Yukon River Panel Bids Farewell to tion of the Yukon River. Gerry Couture ................................... 6 The new Interim Management Escapement WHY SWITCH frOM MARK/RECAPTURE TO Goal (IMEG) for the Canadian Yukon River SONAR ESTIMATES? Governor Palin Appoints Yukon River Panel Advisers .............. 6 escapement is 45,000 Chinook salmon as mea- The mark/recapture estimates of Chinook sured by the sonar project in Eagle, AK. This goal salmon in Canada have been highly variable and 2008 Restoration & Enhancement is only in effect for one year. inconsistent. Sonar has been used statewide and Projects............................................... 6 Sonar and mark/recapture estimates of fall is a tried and proven method of counting fish. Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Fish Program chum numbers are similar. The Canadian Yukon The Eagle sonar estimates of Chinook salmon Teaches Conservation to Youth ......... 7 River fall chum escapement goal for 2008 was are thought to be more accurate than the mark/ once again set at 80,000 fish. recapture estimates as the sampling conditions Salmon Bycatch Update ..................... 8 at the Eagle site are considered ideal. It has been WHAT IS AN INTERIM MANAGEMENT in operation for three years, which has allowed YRDFA Continues Local Knowledge Project on Salmon Indicators ............ 8 ESCAPEMENT GOAL? scientists to compare it to the mark-recapture pro- This is the number of Chinook salmon that gram and other population surveys. These com- 2008 Yukon River Salmon fisheries managers are trying to get onto the parisons gave the scientists enough information to Fisheries Outlook .............................. 9 spawning grounds in Canada for this year. This formulate the new sonar goal. 2008 Subsistence Fishing Schedule .. 9 management goal is an estimate of the escape- ment needed to maximize the sustainable yield— BOTTOM LINE: WILL THIS MEAN I GET LESS FISH? Spotlight On Allakaket .................... 10 the escapement needed to maximize the number The old goal of 33,000 to 43,000 Chinook salm- of juveniles that return per spawner. The border on as measured by the mark/recapture program passage count will need to be higher than the is very similar to the new goal of 45,000 Chinook YRDFA reserves the right to include or omit any submissions to the Yukon Fisheries News. The views expressed in this newsletter goal, because the goal does not include Chinook salmon as measured by the Eagle sonar. This are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of YRDFA. salmon that fishers will harvest up stream of the change in itself should not have a major impact on Eagle sonar. This goal is an integral component of the number of fish available for harvest. m Associate Members Lifetime Members Allakaket Tribal Council Asa’ Carsarmiut Tribal Council Alakanuk Fort Yukon Palmer Beaver Village Council Max Agayar* Richard Carroll, Jr. Peter J. Stortz Birch Creek Gwich’in Tribal Council Richard P. Agayar City of St. Mary’s* Axel W. Alstrom* Galena Pilot Station Geoff Beyersdorf Bruce Beans*** Evansville Tribal Council Frank T. Alstrom, Jr.* Grace C. Alstrom* Gilbert Huntington Albert Beans, Jr*** Interior Alaska Fish Processors, Inc. Latrell Alstrom Sidney Huntington Moses Edwards*** Kotlik Traditional Council* Ragnar Alstrom John Joe Evan Grayling Kathy Fancyboy*** Koyukuk Tribal Coucil Robert S. Alstrom* John Ayunerak Shirley Clark Paul Fancyboy*** Nulato Tribal Council* Joe Buster* Carl Walker Raymond Fancyboy*** Pitka’s Point Tribal Council Louis T. Chikigak* Debbie Francis*** Holy cross Art Heckman, Sr.*** Yukon Salmon Committee Clifford Damian Jeffrey Demientieff, Sr. Jonathan Damian* Arthur Heckman, Jr*** Yukon Kings Seafood Lawrence T. Edmund* Hooper Bay Candace Heckman Yupiit of Andreafski John Hanson Lester Wilde Charlie Heckman*** Lloyd C. Heckman *Welcome to our newest associate members! Kevin A. Joseph* Raymond T. Joseph* Huslia Stuart Heckman*** Wilfred Joseph* Geoff Johnson Fr. Stan Heckman*** Frank K. Lamont Abraham Kelly*** Kaltag Andrew N. Makaily, Jr. Board of Directors John H. Lamont III Richard Burnham Raymond J.T. Lamont Andrew N. Makaily, III William Myers*** DISTRICT / SEAT # REPRESENTATIVE Lorraine Murphy* Kotlik Edward Phillip* Nicky Myers*** Coastal, Seat 1 Lester Wilde Peter Elachik** Charles C. Smith Rudolph Hootch** Rita Nick*** Y-1, Seat 1 Harry Wilde, Sr. Emmanuel P. Stanislaus* Clement Matthias** Evan Polty, Sr.*** Y-1, Seat 2 Larry Lujan Joseph P. Mike** John Tinker, Jr*** Anchorage Norman Xavier*** Y-1, Seat 3 Frank Alstrom Martin P. Okitkun, Sr.** William R. Beans Robert Okitkun** Pearl Yunak*** Y-2, Seat 1 Mike P. Peters Gabe Evan Michael Prince** Steve Hayes RamparT Y-2, Seat 2 Albert Beans, Jr. Billy Teeluk** Georgianna Lincoln Nina Heyano Victor Tonuchuk** Y-2, Seat 3 William Alstrom Jill Klein Y-3, Seat 1 Jeffrey Demientieff Aloysius Unok** Ruby Donald Kramer Aloysius Wasuli** Florence L. Esmailka Y-4, Seat 1 Carl Walker Larry Lujan George Williams** Harold Esmailka Y-4, Seat 2 Richard Burnham Aniak Y-5, Seat 1 Stan Zuray Manley Hot Springs St. Mary’s Stephen L. Hill Linda Johnson Jerry W. Alexie Y-5, Seat 2 Lester Erhart Anvik Steve O’Brien William F. Alstrom Y-6, Seat 1 Philip ‘Jeep’ Titus Francis Beans Ronald Kruger, Sr. Marshall Y-6, Seat 2 Victor Lord Gabe Evan Bethel Andy Boots Lillian Johnson Koyukuk, Seat 1 Benny Attla Timothy C. Andrew Aloysius Coffee Yukon Flats, Seat 1 Jan Woodruff Terence Reeve David C. Fitka Soldotna Canadian (non-voting) Carl Sidney Jaylene Fitka Susan Robinson Cooper Landing Mike P. Peters Robert Gibson Vassily Sergie, Sr. Tanana Frank Carruthers Employee Directory Eagle Mountain Village Lester Erhart Andrew Bassich Thomas Barclay Bronk Jorgensen Fred M. Beans, II Gerald Nicholia Emmonak Fred P. Beans Stan Zuray JILL KLEIN, Executive Director Andrew C. Kelly, Sr. Phone: 907-272-3141, ext. 102 Meghan A. Beans John Lamont Morgan C. Beans Tok Email: [email protected] Thor Jorgensen fairbanks Robert Beans BECCA RObbINS GISCLAIR, Policy Director William Busher William Lawrence Wasilla Dane Mikisoq Koponen Matthew Waskey, Sr. Ernie Chase Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 106 Harry Wilde, Sr. Email: [email protected] Heather Koponen Ernest Demoski Claire Matthews North Pole Outside alaska ALICIA DE LA CRUZ, Finance Manager Sherry Modrow Eric Umphenour Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 104 Donald Robert Moore Bill Fliris Richard Kocan Email: [email protected] Denise C. Newman Nulato Brian Rogers Victor Nicholas CATHERINE MONCRIEFF, Anthropologist Doug Sweat Michael Stickman Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 107 Darlene Sweat Email: [email protected] * sponsored by Alakanuk Native Corp. ** sponsored by Kotlik Yupik Corp. *** sponsored by Pilot Station Inc. BOB DUBEY, Fishery Biologist 907-272-3141 ext. 103 Email: [email protected] JASON HALE, Outreach & Communications Coordinator Yukon Fisheries News is published by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 105 725 Christensen Drive, Suite 3-B, Anchorage, AK 99501 Email: [email protected] Phone: (907) 272-3141 / Fax: (907) 272-3142 • Toll-free 1-877-99-YUKON (98566) LAUREN SILL, Program Assistant Funding is provided by the USFWS, pursuant to grant #701813G221, Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 108 to support dissemination of information regarding the Yukon River Salmon Agreement Email: [email protected] and the management of Yukon River salmon. 2 Yukon Fisheries News spring 2008 www.yukonsalmon.org a message from the YRDFA Welcomes Acting Director New Addition By Becca Robbins Gisclair, Policy Director To me, the coming of spring has a sound: we are working hard to ensure that the trea- the honking and calling of the sand hill sure of the Yukon River salmon can endure. cranes which fill the hay fields in front of my As one of my favorite authors, Terry Tempest home for a few precious days in the spring, Williams, said, “The eyes of the future are not to be seen again until looking back at us and they are praying for On March 26, 2008, at 4:30 p.m., the long days of sum- us to see beyond our own time.” At times like YRDFA Executive Director Jill Klein mer come to a close. Their this, with huge environmental change on the and her husband Dov brought a new arrival, late this year, is horizon, and the possibility of no commercial baby girl into the world. Sipora Bayla always a vocal reminder fishery on the Yukon this year, we must think Margalit weighed in at 6 pounds, 4 of the changes to come as not only of our own time, and what we need ounces and measured 19 inches long.