07-24-2004, 02:57 PM
Yakutat Area Sport Fishing Report, 7/17 - 7/25, 2004
SITUK RIVER:
Water level in the Situk River is currently extremely low and not many folks are floating from Nine Mile Bridge under current water conditions. Pink salmon are beginning to arrive in the river now. [center]SITUK RIVER CLOSED TO SPORT FISHING ABOVE MIDDLE AIRSTRIP, SOCKEYE SALMON BAG AND POSSESSION LIMITS REDUCED TO TWO FISH DOWNSTREAM FROM THE MIDDLE SITUK AIRSTRIP. [/center]
The Situk River will close to sport fishing upstream of an ADF&G regulatory marker located near the Middle Situk Airstrip on Sunday. Additionally, the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length in the Situk River, downstream from the Middle Situk Airstrip marker, will be reduced from 6 to 2 fish per day. These changes will take effect at 12:01AM, on Sunday July 18.
Situk River drainage is managed for an optimum escapement goal of 50,000 sockeye salmon, with an escapement range of 30,000 to 70,000 spawners. The weir count on July 15 was 25,100 sockeye, which is close to the lower escapement goal range for this date when 61% of the run is generally past the weir. However, recent sockeye weir counts have declined and sport anglers have harvested a significant number of sockeye in the river above the weir, further reducing the number of sockeye reaching the spawning grounds. Additionally, extremely low water levels have crowded concentrations of sockeye salmon into a few available holding areas in the upper portions of the Situk River. As a result, sockeye salmon are exposed to a high rate of unintentional hooking and wounding.
ADF&G staff will continue to monitor the situation and take additional management actions as necessary depending on water levels and future run strength.
For further information, anglers should call the Division of Sport Fish, Yakutat, at (907) 784-3222.
SITUK RIVER:
Water level in the Situk River is currently extremely low and not many folks are floating from Nine Mile Bridge under current water conditions. Pink salmon are beginning to arrive in the river now. [center]SITUK RIVER CLOSED TO SPORT FISHING ABOVE MIDDLE AIRSTRIP, SOCKEYE SALMON BAG AND POSSESSION LIMITS REDUCED TO TWO FISH DOWNSTREAM FROM THE MIDDLE SITUK AIRSTRIP. [/center]
The Situk River will close to sport fishing upstream of an ADF&G regulatory marker located near the Middle Situk Airstrip on Sunday. Additionally, the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length in the Situk River, downstream from the Middle Situk Airstrip marker, will be reduced from 6 to 2 fish per day. These changes will take effect at 12:01AM, on Sunday July 18.
Situk River drainage is managed for an optimum escapement goal of 50,000 sockeye salmon, with an escapement range of 30,000 to 70,000 spawners. The weir count on July 15 was 25,100 sockeye, which is close to the lower escapement goal range for this date when 61% of the run is generally past the weir. However, recent sockeye weir counts have declined and sport anglers have harvested a significant number of sockeye in the river above the weir, further reducing the number of sockeye reaching the spawning grounds. Additionally, extremely low water levels have crowded concentrations of sockeye salmon into a few available holding areas in the upper portions of the Situk River. As a result, sockeye salmon are exposed to a high rate of unintentional hooking and wounding.
ADF&G staff will continue to monitor the situation and take additional management actions as necessary depending on water levels and future run strength.
For further information, anglers should call the Division of Sport Fish, Yakutat, at (907) 784-3222.