More Subsistence Waters Open at Mouth of Buskin River

Jay Barrett/KMXT
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have opened up more water at the mouth of the Buskin River in an attempt to limit sockeye salmon escapement into Buskin Lake.
A release from the Kodiak office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says, “In order to prevent a higher than desired sockeye escapement into the Buskin River, closed waters will be reduced to the stream terminus at the ocean shoreline at Buskin River at noon, June 18th until July 31, 2013.”
The desired escapement range for Buskin sockeye is 5,000 to 8,000 fish, and the weir has counted 9,125 passing through Monday, which saw an escapement of 1,312 sockeye that day alone.
The Fish and Game message also points out that there are certain rules subsistence fishermen must observe when fishing at the mouth of the river.
“Subsistence fishermen are reminded that subsistence seine and gillnet gear may not be operated in a manner to obstruct more than one half the width of any waterway, and any channel or side channel of any waterway. Fishermen should also consult both State of Alaska fishing regulations and the Federal Subsistence Management regulations to waters subject to ANILCA Title 8, before fishing.”
The expanded open water went into effect at noon Tuesday, and will remain so until the end of July.