AYK Region
The Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) Region includes all waters of Alaska that drain
into the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Arctic Ocean north from Cape Newenham. For
the purposes of salmon fishery management the region has been divided into four Management Areas which have been subsequently divided into districts and subdistricts.
Area definitions and the designations of districts or subdistricts within each area
of AYK in Alaska
follow those defined in regulation (AS 5AAC.). The Yukon River
in Canada has been defined as a fifth Management Area in AYK for purposes of archiving
data in the AYK DBMS. For the Canadian portion of the Yukon River area names
and definitions follow those used by the managing agency; Canada Department of Fisheries
and Oceans (CDFO).
Kotzebue
The Kotzebue Area includes all waters of Alaska between Point Hope and
Cape Prince of Wales including those waters draining into the Chukchi Sea.
It has only one salmon fishing district (Kotzebue District).
Kuskokwim
The Kuskokwim Area includes the Kuskokwim River drainage, all waters of Alaska that
flow into the Bering Sea between Cape Newenham and the Naskonat Peninsula,
and Nunivak and St. Matthew Islands. It has four salmon fishing districts representing the Kuskokwim River (W1 and W2), Kuskokwim Bay (W4), and Goodnews Bay (W5).
Norton Sound-Port Clarence
The Norton Sound- Port Clarence Area includes all waters that drain
into Norton Sound from Cape Prince of Wales to Point Romanof, including the waters of
Alaska surrounding St. Lawrence Island and those waters draining into the Bering Sea.
The area has been divided into two salmon fishing districts; Point Clarence and Norton Sound. The Norton Sound District has been subdivided into six subdistricts; Nome
Subdistrict (1), Golovin Subdistrict (2), Moses Point Subdistrict (3), Norton Bay
Subdistrict (4), Shaktoolik Subdistrict (5), and Unalakleet Subdistrict (6).
Yukon
The Yukon-Northern Area includes all waters of Alaska between the latitude of Point
Romanof and the latitude of the westernmost point of the Naskonat Peninsula, including
those waters draining into the Bering Sea and all waters of Alaska north of the
latitude of the westernmost tip of Point Hope and those waters of Alaska draining
into the Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea to the north and east. Only the Yukon
River
drainage has been divided into salmon fishing districts (Y1 through Y6) and represents
the area from which salmon data have been collected in the area. The Yukon River also extends
into Canada and those waters have been defined as another
area for the AYK DBMS.
Yukon (Canada)
The Yukon-Canada Area includes all waters of the Yukon River and it’s tributaries
that drain the Yukon Territory and the province of British Columbia in Canada. Salmon
do spawn in the Canadian portion of the Porcupine River and the Yukon River. Salmon
are not known to pass into the Canadian portion of the Tanana River.
