Escapement

The Yukon River fall chum run is coming in stronger than forecast. Alaska Department of Fish and Game manager Jeff Estensen says 490,000 chums had passed a state sonar counter near the mouth of the river as of Aug. 8. Estensen says that’s better than the historic average of 340,000 chums for that date, and bodes well for the overall return.

It’s looking like escapement of Yukon River king salmon into Canada will not meet objectives. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Yukon River summer season manager Steve Hayes says Chinook passage measured near the Alaska Canada border at Eagle is below the season goal.

The King run on the Yukon River is weak. State Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Regional Management Supervisor Dan Bergstrum says the Department of Fish and Game has been assessing the early run since the first pulse of kings began moving upriver a week ago.

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