(a) The purpose of the Yukon River King Salmon Stock of Concern Management Plan is to provide management tools and guidelines to the department for the management of Yukon River salmon fisheries consistent with AS 16.05.258, 5 AAC 39.220, 5 AAC 39.222, the Pacific Salmon Treaty, and the seven-year agreement between this state and Canada to prohibit directed fishing for king salmon in the Yukon River main stem. While Yukon River king salmon are listed as a stock of management concern, this plan is intended to ensure the sustained yield of king salmon stocks large enough to meet sustainable escapement goals, while allowing for harvest opportunity in the subsistence, sport, and commercial fisheries, as follows:

1. (1) in addition to management measures specified in 5 AAC 05.360 and educational permits provided under 5 AAC 93.212, the department may relax subsistence fishery management measures in specific tributaries within the state if updated stock composition and run assessment data indicate areas where specific restrictions are no longer needed to ensure the established escapement goals will be met;
2. (2) a fish wheel operated under this subsection must be operated as specified in 5 AAC 05.362(j)(1) and (2).

(b) The provisions of this management plan will remain in effect while Yukon River king salmon are listed as a stock of management concern. The department may recommend removal of this designation at the first Arctic, Yukon, Kuskokwim Board of Fisheries meeting when either of the following conditions exist:

1. (1) the majority of the lower bounds of the established biological escapement goal and sustainable escapement goal ranges are met or exceeded in five consecutive years and are expected to be met in the future years;
2. (2) if annual yields or harvestable surpluses are below the historical range, and the department recommends changing the stock of concern designation to a stock of yield concern.