Selkirk First Nation has approximately 25 family fishing camps on the Pelly and Yukon Rivers. In consultation with Selkirk Citizens, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee, these fish camps are active this year setting nets for some early Chinook salmon. Selkirk Citizens maintain these family fish camps in order to pass on knowledge from Elders to youth and maintain a traditional way of life. Selkirk fish camps are always kept clean, well maintained and respect the fish and all wildlife according to Doòli law (traditional laws).
PELLY RIVER CHINOOK SALMON SONAR COUNT
Yukon River Chinook salmon leave the ocean and enter into Alaska in early June. Pelly River Chinook Salmon will pass three major Sonar Stations counting the salmon. The first Sonar is the Pilot Station Sonar at the mouth of the river in Alaska, the second is Eagle Sonar in Alaska but near Dawson City, and the third is the new Pelly River Sonar. Sonar’s count fish and give an estimate the number of Chinook salmon in the river.
Latest Sonar Count: Pilot Station Sonar (Alaska at the mouth of the Yukon River): Chinook Salmon Sonar at the mouth of the river in Alaska is estimated at 260,979. Approximately 102,370 of these salmon are estimated to be bound for Canada as of July 19th, 2017.
Eagle Sonar (Alaska, near Dawson City): The estimate at Eagle Sonar, near the Canadian border and Dawson City is 29,174 salmon as of July 19th. These are all Canadian-origin salmon and represent 30-45% of the run. Please continue to release all live females.
Pelly River Sonar (mouth of the Pelly River): The estimate for the Pelly River Chinook Salmon Sonar Count to July 20th , 2017 is 4,896 fish. Some fish were not counted given the extreme high water during the period of July 8 to the 13th.
Note: This is the second year of the Pelly River Sonar. The project is funded by the Yukon River Panel (Restoration and Enhancement Fund) and operated by Selkirk First Nation and EDI. Every year, the data gathered will be reviewed over the winter.
Fisheries on both sides of the Yukon/Alaska border are managed with the objective of reaching the Interim Management Escapement Goal range of 42,500 – 55,000 established by the Yukon River Panel under the Yukon River Salmon Agreement. The Canadian management plan is further refined with the objective of reaching a management target of 48,750.
