Anadromous Cataloging and Fish Inventory in Select Drainages of the Upper Tanana and Yukon Rivers - 2020

In 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, this project performed 140 site visits to sample for anadromous fishes and other freshwater fishes in the upper Yukon River drainage and upper Tanana River drainage, and a small portion of the upper Copper River drainage. Surveys involved backpack electrofishing, boat electrofishing, aerial surveys, gillnetting, minnow trapping, and environmental DNA. Surveys culminated in 15 nominations to the Anadromous Waters Catalog, including habitats supporting spawning Chinook salmon as well as rearing juvenile Chinook and coho salmon.

This project is expected to add approximately 300 previously unlisted kilometers of salmon habitat to the AWC. Only anadromous fish habitat listed in the AWC receives protection under the Anadromous Fish Act and various other policies that provide additional protections to specified anadromous fish habitat. Also, providing more complete and accessible fish community and habitat information will help ADF&G as well as other federal, state, and local resource agencies better implement their respective fish habitat management, protection, and research missions. Better protection and management of salmon habitat will benefit salmon fisheries and the communities they sustain by safeguarding critical salmon habitat and thereby ensuring the long-term productivity of habitats and their salmon populations.