Explainer of the Nushagak King Salmon Stock of Concern (SOC) action plan
/The following is from Tim Sands - Nushagak/Togiak Area Management Biologist. It is an explanation of the Nushagak King Salmon Stock of Concern (SOC) action plan taken on March 12, 2023 by the Board of Fisheries -
This new SOC action plan supersedes the Nushagak-Mulchatna King Salmon Management Plan (AAC 06.661) for the near term at least. Under this plan a set of triggers were established that keep fishing closed in the Nushagak District until one of the following three conditions is met:
· The projected sockeye salmon escapement past the Nushagak sonar is 6% of the preseason or adjusted inseason sockeye salmon forecast. Approximately 420,000 in 2023.
· The projected sockeye salmon escapement past the Wood River tower is 10% of the preseason or adjusted inseason sockeye salmon forecast. Approximately 800,000 in 2023.
· If neither of these conditions are met by 9:00 a.m. June 28, then fishing will be allowed in the Nushagak District at that time.
Optimum escapement goals (OEGs) were adopted and structured such that when the Wood River sockeye salmon total run is projected to be less than 5 million fish, the department will manage for the sustainable escapement goal (SEG) range of 700,000 to 1.8 million. In years when the total run is projected over 5 million, the department will manage for an OEG that adds 15% of the forecast to the 1.8 million upper end of the SEG range. For example, 15% of the Wood River 2023 forecast of 8 million is 1.2 million. Adding that to the 1.8 million upper end of the SEG range provides a Wood River OEG upper bound of 3.0 million sockeye salmon in 2023. The lower end remains 700,000 fish.
This same OEG rule applies to the Nushagak River on total runs of sockeye salmon above and below 2.5 million. The Nushagak SEG is 370,000 to 900,000. In 2023, the forecast is approximately 7.0 million sockeye salmon. So, in 2023, the department will manage for an OEG of 1.95 million. (900,000 SEG + 1,050,000 which is 15% over the upper end of the SEG)
The Board also passed intent language that requires management of the commercial fishery in the Nushagak District to ensure that the latter portion of the king salmon run is adequately protected. For the most part, we are already doing this with the breaks we have been taking in the drift fishery, but expect longer breaks in 2023. The department will also add breaks in the setnet fishery through more of the season.
The king salmon sport fishery annual limit was also reduced to 4 fish, only one of which may be 28” or greater in length when the projected king salmon escapement is less than 95,000.
In this plan, the subsistence fishery is not required to be closed when the projected king salmon escapement falls below 55,000.
The Board also took action on Proposal 11 which modifies the Nushagak-Mulchatna King Salmon Management Plan. The main change to this plan was directing the department to manage the Nushagak District commercial fishery for sockeye salmon escapement to fall within the lower half of the escapement goal range when runs are forecasted to be 5.0 million or less for the Wood River and/or 2.5 million or less for the Nushagak River.
