Anvik River Sonar Project - Phase 4

This project will use dual-frequency identification sonar (DIDSON) to assess escapement and collect age, sex, and length (ASL) data to estimate the composition of summer chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in the Anvik River drainage. The Anvik River is believed to be one of the largest producers of summer chum salmon in the Yukon River drainage and an important contributor to subsistence fisheries.

The subsistence fishery on the Yukon River drainage is one of the largest in Alaska, and the importance of summer chum salmon in the fishery is increasing during this period of declining Chinook salmon runs. This project will provide daily estimates of summer chum salmon returning to the Anvik River drainage to ensure sufficient escapements for continuing subsistence fishing opportunities, as well as to provide fishery managers important biological data which is used for drainagewide run reconstruction as well as preseason forecasts.