AK Yakutat Salmon Set Gillnet Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

U.S. fisheries are classified under the Marine Mammal Protection Act according to the level of interactions that result in incidental mortality or serious injury of marine mammals.

Alaska

Current Classification on the List of Fisheries

Category	II
Estimated Number of Participants	95
Target Species	Salmon
Applicable Take Reduction Plans	N/A
Observer Coverage	N/A
Marine Mammal Species/Stocks Killed or Injured	Gray Whale, Eastern North Pacific; Harbor porpoise, Harbor porpoise, Yakutat/Southeast Alaska offshore waters¹; Harbor seal, Southeast AK; Humpback whale, Hawai’i; Humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific.

^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data. The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible. If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used. NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.

*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).

¹ Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.

Basis for Current Classification

The total annual mortality and serious injury of harbor porpoise (Yakutat/Southeast Alaska offshore waters stock) in this fishery is greater than 1% and less than 50% of stock’s Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level.

Distribution

This fishery generally operates from June 4 to the end of August. The Yakutat salmon set gillnet fishery consists of multiple set gillnet fisheries occurring in two fishing districts, the Yakutat District and the Yakataga District. As many as 25 different areas in the Yakutat and Yakataga Districts are open to commercial fishing each year. The Yakutat District fisheries primarily target sockeye and Coho salmon, although all species of salmon are harvested. The Yakataga District fisheries target Coho salmon. With a few exceptions, set gillnetting is confined to the intertidal area inside the mouths of rivers and streams, and to the ocean waters immediately adjacent to each.

Gear Description

This fishery uses set gillnet gear with continuous soak times during the opener, throughout during the day and night. The catch is picked from the net every 2-4 hours each day or continuously during peak fishing times.

Salmon may only be fished commercially during periods known as openers established by the AK Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) in-season. Openers may last days or weeks. The ADFG posts weekly notices of fishing openers and announces the openers on regular radio channels. Fishing periods are often extended by emergency order during the last 24 hours of the opener.

Management

This fishery is managed by the AK Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) as a limited entry fishery with gear restrictions on the mesh and net size, and area closures. Due to the terminal nature of these fisheries, ADFG has developed salmon escapement goals for most of the major, and several of the minor, fisheries.

Historical Information

Original Category (Year added to the LOF)	II (1996)
Original Number of Participants	152
Basis for Original Classification	This fishery was categorized as a Category II based on analogy with other gillnet fisheries because observer coverage was inadequate. Logbook data showed the total known mortality and serious injury for harbor seals across all fisheries did not exceed 10% of the Potential Biological Removal (PBR) level, but low levels of observer coverage were inadequate and data suggests take levels may be exceed 10%. The known mortality and serious injury of harbor seals (Southeast AK) in this fishery was 30 animals/year, or 1.5% of PBR (PBR=2,000).
Past Names	N/A
Species/stocks historically documented as killed or injured (but not currently on the list)	N/A

Timeline of Changes

2024	Removed the superscript “2” to indicate this fishery is not classified by analogy to other Category II gillnet fisheries. Added the superscript “1” to the Yakutat/Southeast Alaska offshore waters stock of harbor porpoise to indicate the stock is driving the Category II classification. Estimated number of participants updated from 168 to 95. Revised marine mammal stock names on the list of species/stocks incidentally killed or injured as follows: Harbor porpoise, Southeastern Alaska to harbor porpoise Yakutat/Southeast Alaska offshore waters Humpback whale, Central North Pacific to humpback whale, Hawai’i and humpback whale, Mexico-North Pacific.
2015	Estimated number of participants updated from 167 to 168.
2013	Added harbor porpoise (Southeastern AK) to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed/injured in this fishery. Estimated number of participants updated from 166 to 167.
2009	Estimated number of participants updated from 170 to 166.
2006	Humpback whale (Central North Pacific (Southeast AK)), added to list of species incidentally killed/injured to update the stocks associated with the newly delineated fisheries in 2004 (delineated into more discrete fisheries according to area, gear and target species to reflect fisheries as managed under the relevant Fishery Management Plans). Added a superscript “2”, indicating this fishery is classified by analogy.
2001	Estimated number of participants updated from 139 to 170.
1999	Gray whale (Eastern North Pacific) added to the list of species/stocks incidentally killed/ injured in this fishery based on recent reported interactions. Estimated number of participants updated from 147 to 139.
1998	Estimated number of participants updated from 152 to 147.

Last updated by Office of Protected Resources on 02/26/2024

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