(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Federal Subsistence Board has closed the May 15 - June 20, 2014 subsistence Chinook salmon fishery on the Stikine River and delegated authority to the Wrangell District Ranger to reopen the fishery if the in-season Chinook salmon terminal area abundance estimate allows a directed fishery.

The 2014 pre-season return estimate for the Stikine River is 26,000 Chinook salmon. The U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty stipulates that a directed Chinook salmon subsistence fishery is not authorized if the pre-season run estimate is less than 28,100 Chinook salmon. As a result, the Board has closed the 2014 subsistence Chinook salmon fishery.

The Board also authorized the Wrangell District Ranger to reopen the season if the weekly in-season abundance estimate exceeds 24,500 Chinook salmon, as allowed for in the Treaty.

The closure of the Chinook salmon fishery does not affect other Stikine River federal subsistence fisheries beginning June 21, 2014.

Questions or for more information, contact Robert Dalrymple, U.S. Forest Service, Wrangell District Ranger, robertlarson@fs.fed.us

Source of News: 

Department of the Interior
http://www.doi.gov

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