Bethel subsistence harvest surveys. This project will collect detailed quantitative and qualitative subsistence harvest and age-SEX-length (ASL) information in the bethel area to quantify…

Bethel subsistence harvest surveys. This project will collect detailed quantitative and qualitative subsistence harvest and age-SEX-length (ASL) information in the bethel area to quantify subsistence harvest effort and catch composition during the chinook salmon (oncorhynchus tshawytscha), chum salmon (o. Keta), and sockeye salmon (o. Nerka) runs. The overarching goal of this project is to provide state and federal managers and stakeholders with relevant subsistence harvest effort, catch, and composition information collected from a representative subset of families who harvest salmon for subsistence purposes in the bethel area. Continuous contact with subsistence fishing work groups during the fishing season provides a meaningful opportunity for subsistence users to share their perspectives on the annual salmon runs, harvest needs, and personal impacts of management decisions. This time also allows ONC staff to provide a communication channel between subsistence users and fishery management agencies, by sharing information about management decisions, conservation efforts, and other relevant information. Inseason subsistence harvest data thats collected will be utilized to inform inseason harvest models and decisions while also serving as a time-series that provide insight into trends in gear usage, fishing effort, and subsistence fleet timing. These long-term datasets can ultimately improve our understanding of chinook salmon subsistence harvest patterns and the resulting impact on escapement and run dynamics. All goals and outcomes will be achieved through a collaborative effort between ONC and alaska department of fish game (ADF g) to collect, process, and analyze all data.