The federal subsistence Chinook salmon fishery closed on May 15 until June 20 in the Stikine River. It’s the eighth year in a row the king fishery has closed due to low projected numbers.
Tory Houser is the Wrangell District Ranger for the U.S. Forest Service. She said it’s important to close the fishery in order to repopulate the species.
“In order to perpetuate the salmon population, or hopefully protect the existing salmon that are in the Stikine, we want to make sure that we close it to the subsistence use right now,” she said.
The escapement goal range for large kings in the Stikine is between 14,000 to 28,000. That’s the number of fish that biologists want to be able to spawn. This year’s estimate is 12,900, which is why the fishery has closed for the season.
The escapement goals each year fall under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, which was created for transboundary rivers between Canada and the U.S. The treaty ensures both countries see some king salmon every year. Statewide, fish make up approximately 56 percent of wild foods hunted and harvested.
The Stikine king salmon closure does not affect other federal subsistence fisheries in the river, like sockeye, coho and pink salmon.
