Fishing Regulations & Licensing for 2007 - 2008

(This is not a legal document and does not contain all the details of the current fishing regulations.
It is a summary of general information, for further details contact your local Department of Fisheries and Oceans)

Click here for the Salmon Conservation Catch Card form

The Yukon Salmon Recreational Fishery

Maintaining a viable salmon fishery is a priority of Yukon sport anglers. Before 1999, information about Yukon's salmon sport fishery has been largely unreliable and incomplete. Although there have been studies on the commercial, aboriginal and domestic fisheries, little was known about the impact of the recreational fishery on Yukon salmon stocks.

The Salmon Conservation Catch Card

In order to obtain more information about the salmon recreational fishery, the Salmon Sub-Committee recommended introduction of the Salmon Conservation Catch Card. The Catch Card captures pertinent information about an angler's fishing activity. It comes with a postage-paid envelope so the Card can easily be returned to DFO at the end of the salmon fishing season.

If you want to fish for salmon in Yukon waters (other than salmon in stocked lakes or Kokanee) you must purchase a Salmon Conservation Catch Card. Catch Cards are available to licensed anglers only. You must have a Salmon Conservation Catch Card in your possession while fishing for salmon and you must show it to a Fisheries Officer on request.

When you catch a salmon, you must immediately record your catch in the space provided on the Catch Card. You must return the Card to Fisheries and Oceans Canada no later than November 30 of the year of issue.

Catch Card Fees will be used to operate the Catch Card system. Any revenues in excess of operating costs will be used by the Salmon Committee to fund salmon management and enhancement programs that are not already being funded by the federal government.

For more information, including Catch Card fees, please see below.

With your cooperation, Catch Cards will help conserve salmon stocks by providing the accurate harvest information needed to make good management decisions.

Canning salmon in the field

it is illegal to can salmon in the field. Fish that has been dressed or packed in the field so that it can not be readily identified, counted or measured is unlawful.

Hook restrictions on the Tatshenshini River, Yukon River and otherstreams

You must now use a single-pointed barbless hook, with a distance of 2 cm (3/4 in.) or less between the point and the shank, while angling for any fish species in the following waters:

From June 1 to November 30
Blanchard River Klukshu River Takhanne River	Tatshenshini River Village Creek
From June 1 to October 15
Yukon River Teslin River Takhini River Klondike River	Smart River Morley River Lapie River Blind Creek

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SALMON CONSERVATION CATCH CARD

You must have a valid Salmon Conservation Catch Card if you want to fish for salmon in the Yukon. The current Catch Card is valid from April 1 to November 30, of the year of issue. Catch Cards are available to licenced anglers only.

SALMON CONSERVATION FEES - *GST extra
	Yukon/Alaska resident 16 to 64 years of age	$ 10
	Canadian resident 16 and older	$ 20
	Non-resident 16 and older	$ 50
	Yukon resident 65 and older	No fee
	Minor (under 16 years of age)	No fee
	Replacement cards	$ 5

Yukon residents 65 and older who want to fish for salmon must have a valid Catch Card obtained free of charge.

First Nation anglers who want to fish for salmon outside their Traditional Territory must possess a valid Yukon Angling License and a Catch Card, unless they have written consent from the First Nation with authority in the Traditional Territory in which they plan to fish.

Carry it with you

You must carry the Catch Card with you when angling for salmon, and produce it when asked to do so by a Fishery Officer or Conservation Officer.

Record your catch

Immediately upon catching a salmon, you must record on the Catch Card the date, location, species, sex, presence of tags, presence of adipose fin, and the type of gear with which the salmon was caught.  You must record this information even if you release the salmon. If you do not catch any salmon, please indicate this under zero caught. Blank survey sheets are available if needed, at no cost from vendor or please attach an additional sheet of paper to survey if required.

Return the card

You must return your Salmon Conservation Catch Card to Fisheries and Oceans Canada by November 30 of the year of issue. There are four ways to return your card.

1. Drop it off at the Whitehorse DFO office
2. Mail it to: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 100-419 Range Road, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 3V1
3. Fax it to: (867) 393-6738
4. Submit it here through our on-line salmon catch card

Failure to comply with any of these regulations could result in a fine or legal action.

If you lose your card

If your Catch Card is lost,stolen or destroyed it must be replaced.  A replacement card can be purchased at any Environment Yukon office or Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) office at a cost of $5 plus GST.  An affidavit declaring the loss of the Card must be completed in the presence of a Fishery or Conservation Officer before a replacement card can be issued.  You can replace the survey part of the Catch Card at no cost.

It is unlawful to use another person's Angling License or Salmon Conservation Catch Card, or allow another person to use yours.

Yukon Fresh Water Angling Regulation Summary

Yukon Government Department of the Environment home page with lots of useful information and a link to the 2007 Fishing Regulations pamphlet.

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SALMON

A federal responsibility

In Canada, the overall management of salmon is the responsibility of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). In the Yukon, DFO considers the recommendations of the Salmon Sub-Committee, a public advisory body set up under the Umbrella Final Agreement.

Enquires about salmon fishing regulations should be directed to DFO's Area Office in Whitehorse at (867) 393-6722 or toll-free 1-866-676-6722.

Short notice closures

Short notice closures are sometimes required to protect lower-than-expected salmon runs. Closures are advertised locally, but it's a good idea to check with a DFO office before leaving on your fishing trip. For updates on salmon closures call he Salmon Information line at (867) 393-3133 or toll-free 1-877-725-6662 (1-877-salmon2)

 

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TATSHENSHINI RIVER SYSTEM

Hook restrictions

It is unlawful to use any hook other than a single-pointed barbless hook, with a distance of 2 cm (3/4 in.) or less between the point and the shank, while angling in the following waters from June 1 to November 30:

1. Blanchard River
2. Klukshu River
3. Takhanne River
4. Tatshenshini River
5. Village Creek

When fishing in the Takhanne River downstream of Million Dollar Falls, you are permitted to use artificial flies only. This restriction is in effect all year.

Click here to see the closure dates and maps of the Tatshenshini River and Dalton Post area.

British Columbia sections

Please refer to the current "British Columbia Freshwater Salmon Supplement" for information on salmon fishing in the British Columbia portions of the Tatshenshini River. This supplement is available at www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Freshwater/region6_e.htm, or at various locations including the DFO office at 419 Range Road, Whitehorse, Yukon.

 

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YUKON RIVER SYSTEM

Hook restrictions

It is unlawful to use any hook other than a single-pointed barbless hook, with a distance of 2 cm (3/4 in.) or less between the point and the shank, while angling in the following waters from June 1st to October 15th:

1. Blind Creek
2. Klondike River
3. Lapie River
4. Morley River
5. Smart River
6. Takhini River
7. Teslin River
8. Yukon River

Whitehorse dam area salmon closure

Salmon fishing is prohibited from the Whitehorse dam downstream to the Robert Campbell Bridge, from July 15 to September 30 inclusive. Anglers pursuing other fish during this time are permitted to use artificial flies only.

It is unlawful to fish within 25 metres (80 ft.) downstream of the Whitehorse Rapids fish ladder.

Takhini River salmon closure

Takhini River is closed to salmon fishing from August 20 to September 15, inclusive. Anglers pursuing other fish during this time are permitted to use artificial flies only.

Tatchun Creek salmon closure (Area 18 on Catch Cards)

Tatchun Creek, and the Yukon River at the mouth of the Tachun Creek as marked by boundary signs, is closed angling from August 1 to September 30, inclusive.

Click here to see the closure dates and maps of the Tatchun Creek area.

Wolf Creek salmon closure

Wolf Creek is closed to salmon retention. All salmon caught in Wolf Creek must be released.

McIntyre Creek salmon closure

McIntyre Creek from the Alaska highway down to the Yukon River is closed to salmon retention. All salmon caught in this area of McIntyre Creek must be released.

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With your help, we can learn more about Yukon fish stocks

Chinook Salmon

If you catch a Chinook salmon in Yukon waters, please check to see if the adipose fin is missing. The adipose fin is a small fin on the salmon's back, just ahead of its tail. If this fin is missing, the salmon may have a microscopic coded-wire tag in its nose carrying information about where the fish was originally tagged and when it was released.

Whether you decide to keep or release this fish, please record all required information on your Salmon Conservation Catch Card. If you decide to keep it as part of your catch limit, please remove the salmon's head and put it in a plastic bag. Use a pencil to write catch information on a label that you can then attach to the bag. Catch information should include the date and place of capture and, if possible, the sex, length and weight of the salmon. Freeze the head as soon as possible.

Please return the head and catch information to an employee of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) or drop it off at the DFO office at 100-419 Range Road, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3V1.

For more information phone (867) 393-6722 (toll-free 1-866-676-6722).

Spaghetti Tags—Chinook and Other Salmon

Please return the head and catch information to an employee of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) or drop it off at the DFO office at 100-419 Range Road, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3V1. For more information phone (867) 393-6722 (toll-free 1-866-676-6722).

If you catch any "spaghetti" tagged salmon, please return the tag to DFO for a $ 5.00 reward. The recovery of these tags are important for fisheries management. Please include the following information with the tags:

Your name, address and telephone number Date and time caught, location, gear used Sex of the fish Is the adipose fin hole punched?

Spaghetti Tag

Please return the tag and the associated catch information to an employee of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) or drop it off at the DFO office at 100-419 Range Road, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 3V1. For more information phone (867) 393-6722 (toll-free 1-866-676-6722).

Location of Spawning Areas

   Chinook Salmon, Chum Salmon, Coho Salmon and Bering Cisco

Fisheries and Oceans Canda (DFO) has identified approximately 100 spawning locations for Chinook salmon within the Upper Yukon river drainage. Previously undocumented areas have been recently identified through a radio tagging program. The department believes that there are a number of Chinook spawning areas that have not yet been identified; these spawning areas are likely located in remote areas of the drainage which are not frequently visited. Similarly, many spawning locations have been identified for Upper Yukon chum salmon, however it is believed that there are many undocumented areas. One stock of chum salmon is known to spawn as late as early November, a time of year when few people would be expected to use Yukon tributaries or backcountry areas.

Low numbers of coho salmon and Bering cisco, a type of whitefish similar to Least cisco, migrate up the Yukon River and enter Canada in the fall. Both species are believed to be undertaking spawning migrations that exceed 2,100 kilometres, however spawning areas have not been identified for these species. For more information on the Bering Cisco please see the COSEWIC website.

Photo credit: United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Due to DFO's interest in biodiversity and a desire to develop genetic baselines for Yukon salmon stocks, any assistance you can provide regarding spawning locations of Chinook salmon, chum salmon, coho salmon and Bering cisco, would be greatly appreciated. If you observe spawning activity for any of the species that you think may be of interest or if you want additional information please contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada by phone at (867) 393-6722 or toll-free at 1-866-676-6722.