the port of Prince Rupert. The two reaches open to commercial fishing are an upper reach from the Tahltan River down to the Chutine River confluence, and a lower reach between the Flood River and the international boundary. Fishing is limited to the main stem and a small portion of the lower Iskut River. The commercial fishing season is generally June through October. First Nation fisheries in the Stikine River include the area upstream of the Chutine River and the lower Tahltan River. The First Nations are allowed a longer fishing season, from April through October. Recreational fishing is also allowed on the Canadian part of the Stikine River between April and October. In Alaska, commercial fishing on the Stikine falls within the boundaries of District 8, as defined by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Salmon are primarily caught offshore by trolling or drift gillnetting, and are either processed on-site or shipped to processing facilities in Wrangell and Petersburg. The ADF&G also issues permits for subsistence fishing on the Alaskan portion of the Stikine. Sockeye are the predominant commercial species, accounting for over 90 percent of the catch between 1991 and 2000, with chinook and coho making up most of the remainder. US and Canadian shares of the Stikine fishery are regulated by the Pacific Salmon Treaty, signed between the US and Canada in 1985. For sockeye, the Pacific Salmon Commission has established an annual escapement goal of 20,000–40,000 for the main Stikine River and 18,000–30,000 for Tahltan Lake. The chinook escapement goal for the main Stikine is 14,000–28,000. If the annual run is forecasted to be below this level, both Canadian and US fisheries are subject to restrictions. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Stikine sockeye run has been relatively stable. Chinook have seen a significant decline, which has been attributed to reduced marine survival rates. Mining The Stikine Plateau has extensive mineral deposits including gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, and coal. There are a number of operational mines in the basin in addition to thousands of abandoned mines, many dating back to the gold rush period. One of the largest former mines, the Snip mine near the lower Iskut River, produced of gold prior to shutting down in 1999. Despite the Stikine's long history of mining development, in the 1990s and early 2000s both the U.S. Geological Survey and Environment Canada reported water quality