Fishery Closure Windows Scheduling as a Means of Changing the Chinook Salmon Subsistence Fishery Pattern: Is It an Effective Management Tool?

This study examined the effectiveness of subsistence fishery closure windows scheduling as a management toot for conservation of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Kuskokwim River, Alaska. The windows, which reduced subsistence fishing from seven days to four days a week, were implemented in 2001 to conserve early migrant/upper-river Chinook salmon stock and to provide subsistence harvest opportunities for upper-river communities. The windows were expected to (1) reduce the proportion of Chinook salmon harvests in the early season, (2) delay the harvest timing, and (3) extend the total fishing days. To examine its effectiveness, Subsistence salmon harvest calendars (1989-2006) were collected and examined for changes in harvest timing before and after the windows were implemented. The results showed that the windows did not reduce harvests early in the season, delay the harvest timing, or extend the total fishing days. This suggests that the windows were not effective. Potential reasons for this failure are discussed.