Agreement of April 1, 2024 regarding Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook Salmon for 2024 through 2030

The following agreement between Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (hereafter referred to as “the Parties”) concerning Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook salmon shall apply to the period from April 2024 through 2030.

Recognizing the persistent decline of Chinook salmon has resulted in an inability to meet conservation objectives and provide benefits to the fisheries of both countries, the Parties agree to:

1. Implement a suspension of directed Chinook commercial, sport, domestic, and personal use fisheries in the mainstem Yukon River and Canadian tributaries for one full life cycle (seven years). This suspension will remain in effect regardless of run abundance
2. Implement over the duration of this seven-year period a Rebuilding Target of 71,000 Canadian-origin Chinook salmon (international border passage). After 2030, unless the Parties choose to continue to use this Rebuilding Target, adopt a biologically-based escapement goal or implement a different goal, the Parties shall use the Interim Management Escapement Goal of 42,500 – 55,000 Canadian-origin Chinook salmon.
3. Over this seven-year period directed subsistence fishing for Chinook salmon in the mainstem Yukon River and Canadian tributaries will be closed except when the bilateral inseason estimate of Canadian-origin international border passage, accounting for enroute mortality, is projected to exceed 71,000 based on Pilot Station sonar. In this circumstance, the Parties may consider providing limited subsistence fishing opportunity.
4. Recognizing the importance of Chinook salmon for ceremonial use and the transmission of cultural knowledge, the Parties may, at their discretion, provide limited harvest opportunity for these purposes.
5. Alaska shall continue to minimize incidental harvest of Chinook salmon in all other mainstem Yukon River fisheries over this seven-year period.
6. The Parties place a priority on stock assessment and on scientific research on the health of Yukon River Chinook salmon to better understand the causes of low run abundances and identify possible solutions. Such stock assessment and scientific research programs shall be discussed jointly by the Parties at Yukon River Panel and Joint Technical Committee meetings. Over this seven-year period, the take of Chinook for scientific research purposes shall be minimized and non-lethal sampling methods shall be used where possible.
7. The Parties place a priority on traditional and local ecological knowledge research on the health of Yukon River Chinook salmon to better understand the causes of low run abundances and to identify possible solutions. Such traditional and local ecological knowledge research shall be discussed jointly by the Parties at the Yukon River Panel and Traditional Knowledge Committee meetings.
8. In accordance with Pacific Salmon Treaty Chapter 8 provisions, during this seven-year period the Yukon River Panel shall develop a rebuilding plan for Yukon River mainstem Chinook salmon.
9. In accordance with Pacific Salmon Treaty Chapter 8, section 12, Alaska will maintainefforts to increase the in-river run of Yukon River origin Chinook salmon by reducing marine catches and bycatches of Yukon River origin salmon to the extent practicable.
10. In the absence of fisheries, the status of Chinook salmon has continued to be depressed and reflects the long-term cumulative effects of other factors, particularly habitat degradation resulting from resource and hydroelectric development, competition from hatchery production, cyclic natural phenomena, and large scale environmental variability affecting both marine and freshwater habitats. The Parties shall work collaboratively onhabitat and stock restoration activities and support research to better understand the declines of Chinook salmon.
• Alaska will pursue an increase in Yukon River Salmon Agreement base funds from the U.S. Congress and pursue other available funding opportunities to be directed toward Yukon River habitat and stock restoration activities.
• Canada will seek to increase federal funding to be directed towards Yukon River habitat and stock restoration activities.

Signature: Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Signature: Steve Gotch, Senior Director, Pacific Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada