Yukon River Inseason Salmon Harvest Interviews, 2003

Standardized collection and reporting of subsistence salmon harvest information during the fishing season is an important management tool for Yukon River fishery managers. The 2003 salmon fishing season marked the second season of an organized effort to collect qualitative inseason subsistence harvest information. Information gauging progress towards subsistence salmon harvest goals, subsistence fishing characteristics, and quality of subsistence catch were collected. Progress towards meeting subsistence harvest goals was evaluated by using local village interviewers contacting a subsample of fishermen each week. Residents of Emmonak, Holy Cross, Nulato, Huslia, Galena, and Circle were interviewed weekly between June 1 and August 31, 2003. Sixty-three households were interviewed regarding Chinook salmon harvests and seventeen households were interviewed regarding chum salmon harvest progression. Information was reported on fourteen weekly public teleconferences and used in nine Federal inseason management summaries. In general, inseason interview data indicated that most interviewed households met or nearly met their subsistence Chinook and chum salmon goals for the 2003 season and that the 2003 fishing season appeared better as compared to the 2002 fishing season.