Troll Fishery

Now that a week has passed since the first summer troll Chinook salmon retention period ended, preliminary totals include 790 permits and just over 74,000 Chinook salmon, which is within 5% of the preseason target. The number is likely to increase at a slower pace through next week, as additional tickets are received in the mail. The remainder of the summer Chinook salmon quota will be harvested during the second Chinook salmon retention period in August. Compared to 2009, effort during the first Chinook opening appears to be lower by about 75 permits. Price is approximately $1.00 higher and average weight is up by a half pound.

Coho salmon catch rates and effort have increased significantly over the past several days, with regional troll CPUE’s at 63 last week and 105 so far this week. Trollers are getting about $1.27 per pound for coho, at an average of 6.1 pounds, which is large for this time of year.

Last week, as many as 84 trollers targeted chum salmon returning to the Neets Bay hatchery. A portion of the Neets Bay Terminal Harvest Area (THA) was open from July 12-15, as well as West Behm Canal, just outside of the THA. It is expected that trollers harvested at least 200,000 chum to date, so the THA will not reopen this summer. Trollers may continue to fish in West Behm Canal. The chum return appears to have exceeded the forecast for the first time in 10 years.

Purse Seine Fishery

On Thursday, July 15, 97 seiners harvested a 231,000 chum at Hidden Falls Hatchery, the peak harvest for this season. In District 1, 43 seiners harvested 126,000 pinks for a per boat average of 2,900. In District 2, 24 seiners harvested only 10,500 pinks, and catches likewise were poor in District 4.

With lagging catches of about half the 10-year averages in District 1, the need to bolster early run system escapements throughout most of the region, and poor prospects for the 200-boat seine fleet elsewhere in the region, a Sunday opening on July 18 was not provided in Districts 1, 2 and 4. Only Hidden Falls THA, Deep Inlet THA and the index fishery at Point Augusta were opened. Chum harvests at Hidden Falls by 100 boats declined to 83,000, 16 boats harvested 14,000 chum at Deep Inlet, and 9 boats harvested 61,000 pinks at Point Augusta. The Point Augusta index fishery was somewhat encouraging for middle-run, north-end pink returns. Aerial surveys have begun to show escapements at a few locations, however, the distribution is patchy at best, and many important stock groups are nearly devoid of pink as well as chum returns. District 1 mainland early systems, however are meeting escapements and supported another opening on Thursday, July 22. Additional fishing areas are provided mid-week in District 2, 3, and 4 in addition to Hidden Falls THA, however, all other northern SE districts remained closed.

Drift Gillnet Fishery

Tree Point/Section 1-B

The Tree Point drift gillnet fishery was open for two days beginning Sunday, July 18, 2010. This is just the second time in the past 10 years that the fishery lasted only two days and is a reflection of the poor pink salmon abundance. Forty seven vessels took part in this fishery which is above average for this time of year. Although the harvest rate of sockeye remained below average this week it improved over last week. The harvest rate of coho salmon remained below average, similar to last week. The harvest rate of pink and chum salmon was above average. Sunday, July 18, marked the beginning of the District 1 Pink Salmon Management Plan. This dictates that the gillnet fleet fishing time is based on how many days the purse seine fleet fishes in District 1. Due to this, the Tree Point drift gillnet fishery was limited to two days last week since the District 1 seine fishery was only open one day. It is unclear, at this time, if the District 1 purse seine fleet will receive more than one day of fishing time during statistical 31, so Tree Point will be open for two days initially and, if the purse seine fleet fishes more than one day, the Tree Point gillnet fishery will be extended an additional two days.

Sumner-Clarence Straits/Stikine (Districts 6 and 8)

The Districts 6 and 8 gillnet fishery was opened for 48 hours this week and no extra fishing time occurred. Effort was below average in both districts. Sockeye salmon harvest rates in District 6 continued to be good but dropped from the prior weeks. This week was the second week of a three week conservation window to protect McDonald Lake sockeye salmon. During this time period, fishing time in District 6 is limited to no more than 48 hours a week. The harvests of chum and pink salmon increased this week especially in District 8. Most of the effort in District 8 was targeting enhanced chum returns to the Anita Bay THA.

Taku-Snettisham/Section 11-B

Effort remained above average in D11 this week and harvest of all species but kings improved. Sockeye CPUE was above average for the first time this season but harvest was below average with less than average time. Chum CPUE was three times and harvest twice the average, coho harvest remained strong with reports of large fish, and the pink harvest was above average for the week. Canyon Island fish wheel catches of sockeye achieved average levels in the last few days, and with the continuing low water levels in the Taku River this indicates above average abundance in the river at this time. In Port Snettisham, sockeye have begun to be passed into Speel Lake, Crescent Lake sonar is tracking near average, and fish have arrived at the Snettisham Hatchery and Sweetheart Creek. Although sockeye harvest and CPUE in the fishery and inriver indicators have dramatically improved, it is unknown if this is a temporary situation or if the improved run strength will be sustained. With this uncertainty and the above average fleet size, Section 11B will open for two days.

Lynn Canal/District 15

Below average effort in District 15 harvested below average numbers of all species except coho salmon. The week 30 chum salmon harvest of 46,000 is below the previous ten-year average of 94,000 fish. The catch per unit of effort for chum salmon was near average for the week. Effort was distributed primarily in southern Section 15-C with some effort in Section 15-A. Current Chilkoot River weir count is 65% of the long term average and projects a final escapement within biological escapement goals. The Chilkat River fish wheel catch of sockeye salmon is average for this time period.

Yakutat Area Set Net Fishery

The Alsek River remained open for one day this week. The sockeye salmon harvest was above average for the week. In the Akwe River 4 permits harvested 1,400 sockeye salmon. Both effort and harvest in Yakutat Bay dropped dramatically this week, and very few fish were harvested. In the Situk-Ahrnklin Inlet 58 permits harvested 10,800 sockeye salmon. The fishing period remained at two and one-half days for the Inlet during this opening. Escapement for Chinook salmon is poor and conservation measures are in place to ensure escapement levels. Sockeye salmon escapement is now below average, but the escapement goal has been attained.

Terminal Harvest Area Fisheries

Anita Bay Terminal Harvest Area (THA)

The Chinook salmon return to the Anita Bay THA was good this year. To date, commercial troll, gillnet and seine fisheries have harvested 6,300 Chinook salmon in the THA and an additional 2,700 in fisheries outside of the THA. The chum salmon harvest within the THA greatly improved during the past week with a total harvest to date by seiners, gillnetters and trollers of 75,000 fish.

Nakat Inlet THA

The total return of Nakat Inlet summer chum salmon was forecasted to be 191,000. The total estimated harvest as of Thursday, July 22, is 176,000 chum salmon, or approximately 92% of the forecasted return. Harvests include 90,000 gillnet-harvested chum salmon in the Nakat Inlet THA, plus approximately 81,000 gillnet-harvested and 5,000 seine-harvested chum salmon in traditional common property fisheries.

Neets Bay THA

The total return for Neets Bay summer chum was forecasted to be 1,118,000. Total harvest to date is approaching 894,000 chum salmon, or approximately 80% of the forecasted return. Total cost recovery harvest is approaching approximately 400,000 fish and approximately 50,000 chum salmon have been taken for broodstock. It is estimated that the troll fleet harvested approximately 200,000 chum salmon in the Neets Bay THA, and just outside of it. The estimated harvest by net gear is 122,000 chum salmon. This includes 69,000 gillnet and 53,000 seine harvested chum salmon in traditional common property fisheries.

Kendrick Bay Terminal Harvest Area (THA)

The total return for Kendrick Bay summer chum salmon was forecasted at 430,000, and the total estimated harvest as of Thursday, July 22, is 378,000, or approximately 88% of the forecasted return. Of this harvest, 120,000 were harvested by seine inside the Kendrick Bay THA and 227,000 were harvested by seine outside the THA in common property fisheries. Additionally, 31,000 Kendrick Bay chum salmon were harvested by gillnet common property fisheries.

Deep Inlet Terminal Harvest Area (THA)

To date, the total harvest is 370,000, including 265,000 by seine and 105,000 by gillnet. The total run thus far is 34% of the 1.1 million forecast. The area is open each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for gillnet and each Sunday, Thursday and Friday for seine. The Deep Inlet THA will be closed to common property harvest sometime in early August and reopened once cost recovery harvests are complete.

Hidden Falls Terminal Harvest Area (THA)

On Sunday, July 18, 100 seiners harvested approximately 87,000 chum salmon bringing the total harvest for the season to 609,000 chum salmon. Cost recovery harvests of 218,000 were completed on July 13 and approximately 130,000 are available for broodstock. Total run to date is approximately 957,000 fish, 60% of the 1.6 million run forecast. The Hidden Falls THA will be open to common property seine harvest on Sundays and Thursday until the run is complete.

Copper River and PWS Drift Gillnet

The Copper River District was opened to commercial fishing for 60-hour fishing periods on Monday, July 19 and on Thursday, July 22. Areas in Prince William Sound were opened for 36, 60 and 84 hour periods during this week. The Copper River district opened to drift gillnets on May 13 and Prince William Sound gillnet fisheries opened on May 24. Gulkana Hatchery sockeye salmon returns are returning at anticipated levels. As of yesterday, escapement of salmon into the upper Copper River drainage is above the maximum inriver goal of 794,737 fish. Currently there are an estimated 250 to 350 drift gillnet and 20 set gillnet permits participating in Area E fisheries. There are no processing capacity problems to report at this point. The cumulative harvest as of July 22 from the Copper River is 572,185 sockeye and 9,333 Chinook salmon. This compares with a historical 5-year cumulative harvest average of 1,107,430 sockeye and 24,889 Chinook salmon for this date.

PWS Purse Seine

The Southwestern District fishery is currently open 7 days per week. The Eastern District within a portion of Port Valdez was open to VFDA pink salmon cost recovery through Monday, July 12. The commercial purse seine fishery in the Eastern District, targeting VFDA enhanced pink salmon, is currently an everyday fishery. The Eastern District fishery schedule and open area are normal for the current level of daily run entry.

Escapement monitoring continues with an aerial survey of the Eastern, Northern, Coghill, Northwestern, Eshamy, and Southeastern districts this past week. Increasing numbers of pink and chum salmon were counted on these surveys. These escapement numbers are low to average for this date. The VFDA pink salmon run is currently 4 million above forecast and sustained and higher than anticipated daily harvest rates indicate that the run is late timed and compressed.

Less than 10 commercial seine boats are currently fishing in the Southwestern and Coghill districts. 150-170 commercial seine boats participated in the Eastern District openings this last week. The sustained level of daily pink salmon harvest (935,000 fish per day over the past week) in the Eastern District has exceeded processing capacity on a limited basis, but has not resulted in short-term harvest limits similar to those imposed on many permit holders last week.

No harvest was reported for the fifteenth fishing period in the Southwestern District and the sixteenth fishing period was confidential. Chum salmon harvest continues to track below anticipated cumulative harvest in the Southwestern District. As of July 12, 6.0 million pounds of pink salmon had been harvested by VFDA for cost recovery. This represents 100% of the cost recovery harvest goal. Common property harvest through July 21 in the Eastern District was 12.3 million pink salmon.

Nushagak District

The sockeye run is over and the fishery will switch to pink and coho management next week. The Nushagak sockeye harvest is the 2nd largest in history. Fishing will stop on Saturday and reopen for pink and coho on Monday. Escapement monitoring is done on the Nushagak and Wood and ends tonight for the Igushik. Wood and Igushik exceeded the upper ends of their goals and Nushagak was in the middle of the lower half of its goal. Participation is way down. We are waiting to see how much effort there is for pink and coho fishing next week.

Egegik/Ugashik Districts

The cumulative escapement into Egegik through July 22 is approximately 926,000 and the tower project has been shut down for the season. Fishing will remain open until 9:00 a.m. July 30, and the fall schedule of 9:00 a.m. Monday to 9:00 a.m. Friday will start August 2.

The cumulative Ugashik escapement through July 22 is approximately 714,000. Fishing is open on a continuous basis until 9:00 a.m. July 30, and the new fall schedule of 9:00 a.m. Thursday to 9:00 a.m. Monday will start August 1.

Naknek/Kvichak District

Fishing was open continuous from 1:30 a.m. July 14 through 9:00 a.m. Friday July 23. It is now on the fall schedule of 9:00 a.m. Monday until 9:00 a.m. Friday until September 30, 2010. Escapement goals were met in all systems and towers have been demobilized for the 2010 season. The harvest of 10.7 million sockeye exceeded preseason forecast of 9.0 million and the return was two to three days late.

Togiak District

The regular weekly schedule was extended by 48 hours for the Togiak River Section. Escapement increased the last two days with daily escapement exceeding 20,000 sockeye salmon and the cumulative approaching 100,000. Participation is normal. The district will open on Tuesday to permit holders that fished in other areas of Bristol Bay. Cumulative harvest through July 22 is approximately 460,000 sockeye salmon. Harvest is above average and increasing.

Upper Cook Inlet (UCI)

The UCI commercial sockeye salmon harvest through July 21 is approximately 2.0 million fish. The preseason forecast had projected a run of 3.7 million fish with a commercial harvest of approximately 1.9 – 2.0 million. Thus, the 2010 harvest will exceed preseason projections, but by how much is yet to be determined.

The sockeye salmon harvest thus far continues to be skewed in favor of drift gillnetters (62% of total), but that will change somewhat as the season progresses. Management plans in UCI do not mandate any allocation between gear groups, but the division in harvest is typically around 55% drift and 45% set.

Approximately 337 drift permit holders reported harvest on July 19, which is the highest number of boat reports so far in 2010. There are about 580 drift permits that are allowed to fish in UCI. During the 1980’s and 1990’s nearly all the boats did fish (1985-1999 average = 569), but the average annual number of drift permit holders reporting fishing activity from 2000-2009 fell to 437, with the lowest number of drift permits ever reporting harvest occurring in 2006 at 396. It appears 2010 may fall below that mark. The reason for the lack of participation by drifters was the poor preseason forecast in which the department had stated that restrictions and/or closures to the commercial fishery might occur in order to meet minimum escapement objectives.

Sockeye salmon escapements trended significantly upward this past week, which is to be expected during mid-July. From July 16-21 (6 days) 365 thousand fish were estimated to have migrated past the sonar counter in the Kenai River. This passage has occurred while the very popular dip net fishery at the mouth of the Kenai River is taking place. In 2009, approximately 340 thousand sockeye salmon were dipnetted from the Kenai River mouth.

Commercial fisheries staff will make their first inseason estimate of the size of this year’s sockeye salmon return to UCI on Friday, July 23. Management plans for all fisheries change when Kenai River sockeye salmon runs exceed 2 million fish. The preseason forecast had projected a Kenai River run of 1.7 million sockeye salmon, so management of all fisheries thus far has followed the guidelines for runs less than 2 million. It is quite possible that this year’s run will exceed the pivotal 2 million mark.


Lower Cook Inlet (LCI)

The 2010 LCI commercial salmon fisheries are considered “very slow” up to this point. Sockeye salmon catches are significantly below preseason projections for all systems, and most areas were not opened to targeted commercial harvest to protect fish for escapement or because of questionable run strength. Set gillnet effort has been light to moderate and catches from that gear group are considered significantly below average for the given date. Common property seine catches of sockeye salmon were minimal due to only a single directed opening, but early pink salmon landings from one area open to directed fishing are considered reasonably good. Hatchery cost recovery catches for sockeye salmon are far below the preseason forecast. Because catches of sockeye salmon are now confirmed as well below preseason projections, the preseason harvest forecast of 389 thousand sockeye salmon for LCI will not be achieved this year. It is too early to gauge pink salmon run strengths against the LCI preseason harvest forecast of 567 thousand pink salmon.

Sockeye salmon escapement into early-run LCI systems was good, with SEG’s achieved at three lakes. Sockeye salmon escapement into two of four LCI systems with later run timing is good and SEG’s have been achieved, but achievement of SEG’s at the remaining two is questionable. Chum and pink salmon harvest and assessment are in their earliest stages in LCI, freshwater escapement is low and run strengths for these species are still unknown.

The second pink opening occurred on July 20 and is proceeding as normal and an extension is possible. The next pink opening is scheduled for July 27. Early-run sockeye salmon escapement into Karluk was below the lower escapement goal. Sockeye salmon escapements into most other systems on Kodiak are tracking within escapement objectives for this date. Both seine and gillnet participation is about normal at this point, compared to recent years. Kodiak Management Area (KMA) sockeye and chum salmon commercial harvests are below average and below preseason projections. Pink salmon harvests are also currently below average and forecast; however, it is still early in the run.

North Peninsula

The regularly scheduled weekly fishing periods have been occurring in the Bear River, Three Hills, Ilnik, and Outer Port Heiden sections. The Three Hills Section was opened for the first time this season on Monday, July 19. The Bear River, Three Hills, and Ilnik sections were extended through Saturday at 6:00 p.m. There have been no extensions in the Outer Port Heiden Section. The Nelson Lagoon Section has been closed for the past three weeks and will remain closed until further notice.

Sockeye salmon escapement into the Bear, Sandy, Ilnik and Meshik rivers have met interim objectives or season ending escapement goals. At this point in the season, it appears Bear River is having a slightly above average run, Ilink and Meshik Rivers are about average and Sandy and Nelson Rivers are below average. For much of the season a large portion of the Bear River Section has been closed to commercial salmon fishing to protect the weaker than normal Sandy River sockeye run. At this time, the run has tapered off and is nearly done. Due to the run timing and Sandy River having met its season ending escapement goal, all of the Bear River Section as well as the Three Hills Section have been open to commercial salmon fishing. The Bear River early-run is tapering off as well, yet is still strong enough to allow a commercial salmon fishery. Participation in the Northern District is consistent with what is to be expected at this time. Harvest throughout the Northern District to date is slightly below average.

South Peninsula

There have been two commercial salmon fishing periods in the Beaver Bay, Balboa Bay, Southwest Stepovak, East Stepovak and Stepovak Flats sections of the Southeastern District. The first salmon fishing period was for 24 hours. The second period consisted of a 48 hour period with a 24 hour extension only for the Beaver Bay, Balboa Bay, Southwest Stepovak, and East Stepovak sections. There has been one 24 hour commercial salmon fishing period in the Bechevin Bay Section, of the Northwestern District. The Izembek-Moffet Bay, Dublin Bay, and Swanson Lagoon sections of the Northwestern District continue to follow their schedule with no deviations. The Post-June schedule is in effect for the month of July and there have been no deviations from that schedule. As of July 22, 9,553 sockeye salmon have passed through the Orzinski Lake weir. Participation appears to be comparable to previous years and there has been no mention of processing capacity issues or restrictions. The overall harvest of all salmon species from the South Peninsula is below recent 5- and 10-year averages.

The late-run sockeye salmon escapement is tracking the middle of the escapement objectives. As of July 21, 136,887 late-run sockeye salmon have passed the weir. Participation is steady through the current CMA commercial salmon fishing period. Harvest levels appear to average.

Yukon River

Chinook salmon run timing is late and run abundance appears to be below average to poor. Management in the lower river has transitioned to fall season as of July 19 where all chum salmon are managed as fall stocks. The summer chum salmon run size was approximately 1.33 million which provided a surplus available for commercial harvest. Commercial fishing periods targeting chum salmon with gillnets restricted to 6 inch maximum mesh size were conducted in Districts 1 and 2 and are currently being conducted in Subdistrict 4-A and the Tanana River (District 6). East Fork Andreafsky summer chum escapement goal has been achieved and the Anvik River goal is projected to be met. Chinook salmon escapement evaluations are being monitored and appear to be lagging to date.

Because of concern for Canadian-origin Chinook salmon, mainstem Yukon River fishermen were asked to voluntarily conserve Chinook salmon wherever possible; unfortunately, the concern still remains that escapement and harvest obligations to Canada will not be met, therefore, subsistence salmon fishing will be reduced for a 72-hour period in a portion of Subdistrict 5-D to conserve additional fish.

Kuskokwim River

Commercial salmon fishing was allowed in District 1 on July 16, July 19, and July 21. The commercial fishery targeted chum salmon. Processor capacity continues to limit fishing opportunity. Sockeye salmon run abundance in the commercial fishery has been declining through the week. Chum salmon abundance based on commercial harvest and catch rates, and run assessment projects is adequate to allow for a commercial harvest. Coho salmon have only recently appeared in the commercial harvest.

Kuskokwim Bay

District 4 and District 5 went to the normal 3-day per week commercial fishing schedule effective July 5. Sockeye and chum salmon harvests and catch rates remained average to above average in both districts. Processor capacity is adequate and escapement projects suggest additional commercial fishing time is warranted in the Kuskokwim Bay districts.

Norton Sound

Beginning Monday the department will switch to coho salmon management in Norton Sound. The commercial fishing schedule will likely be two 48-hour fishing periods in most of the subdistricts, except for Nome. A late surge of chum salmon is occurring and the commercial chum harvest is on track to be the best since 1986. The department’s longest running escapement project in Norton Sound (Kwiniuk River tower) near Elim will likely surpass the record count of 66,604 chums in 1970 in the next few days.

Kotzebue

On Wednesday, Kotzebue had the best commercial fishing harvest for chum salmon for this early in the season since 2001. The average weight of chum salmon has increased from 7.3 pounds to 8.5 pounds since commercial fishing began on July 12.