Salcha River Chinook Salmon Escapement – Phase 2

Chinook salmon are an important subsistence resource throughout the Yukon River drainage, and the Salcha River supports one of the largest spawning populations in the Alaska portion. This project will enumerate Chinook (and chum) salmon from an elevated counting tower as they pass over a continuous band of white fabric panels strung along the bottom of the Salcha River approximately 1 km upriver from the Richardson Highway Bridge. Two sonars will also be placed just upstream of the counting tower on both sides of the river to estimate the number of migrating salmon during periods of low visibility when tower counts cannot be completed. Carcasses of spawned-out Chinook salmon will be collected to the estimate age, sex, and length (ASL) composition of the escapement.

Escapement monitoring provides the foundation for salmon management in Alaska. This project will provide inseason information regarding Chinook run strength that can be used to make management decisions, ensuring a sustainable escapement and maximum opportunities for subsistence harvests. Continuous series of escapement estimates are also critical for evaluating the efficacy of management plans throughout the Yukon River drainage.