wildmanyeah
Crew Member
ADF&G forecast: 37.6m sockeye to be caught in Bristol Bay
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2018/03/27/adfg-forecast-37-6m-sockeye-to-be-caught-in-bristol-bay/
The nine river systems that feed Alaska's Bristol Bay, the state's most productive sockeye salmon region, are expected to bring in a run of 51 million fish this year, the state believes, leading to a commercial sockeye catch of around 37.6m sockeye for the region.
The Bristol Bay run -- the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) estimates that the run will range from 40.7m to 61.9m sockeye and includes an escapement goal of 12.2m fish -- is 18% higher than the average in the past 10 years. ADF&G said that Bristol Bay's 2017 run came to 59.5m salmon and was the second highest of the last 20 years.
By contrast, the University of Washington's Alaska Salmon Program, which performs an independent forecast, estimates a slightly lower 2018 Bristol Bay run of 47.6m sockeye and a commercial catch of 33.5m sockeye.
In 2017, according to ADF&G, Bristol Bay yielded a commercial harvest of 38.8m sockeye, preliminary forecasts show.
For 2018 statewide, ADF&G is predicting a total salmon harvest of 148.9m fish: 51.8m sockeye, 70.2m pinks, 21m chum, 5.8m coho and 99,000 Chinook.
ADF&G estimates that 225.7m salmon were caught statewide in 2017: 53.6m sockeye, 141.6m pinks, 25m chum, 5.3m coho and 262,000 Chinook.
Those figures do not include Chinook salmon caught in Southeast Alaska.
In terms of weight, the 1 billion pounds of salmon caught in 2017 also ranks third during the past 42 years.
Pink salmon dominated the season’s landings, accounting for 63% of the harvest and 25% of its value, though sockeye made a bigger bang with 23% of the harvest and 48% of its total value, the state says. The 25.2m chum salmon caught was a record for the state.
It was a "banner year," said Forrest Bowers, deputy director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries. “Record wild salmon harvests like these are a testament to Alaska's sound, science-based management, the professionalism of ADF&G's staff, and thoughtful stakeholder engagement."
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/2018/03/27/adfg-forecast-37-6m-sockeye-to-be-caught-in-bristol-bay/
The nine river systems that feed Alaska's Bristol Bay, the state's most productive sockeye salmon region, are expected to bring in a run of 51 million fish this year, the state believes, leading to a commercial sockeye catch of around 37.6m sockeye for the region.
The Bristol Bay run -- the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) estimates that the run will range from 40.7m to 61.9m sockeye and includes an escapement goal of 12.2m fish -- is 18% higher than the average in the past 10 years. ADF&G said that Bristol Bay's 2017 run came to 59.5m salmon and was the second highest of the last 20 years.
By contrast, the University of Washington's Alaska Salmon Program, which performs an independent forecast, estimates a slightly lower 2018 Bristol Bay run of 47.6m sockeye and a commercial catch of 33.5m sockeye.
In 2017, according to ADF&G, Bristol Bay yielded a commercial harvest of 38.8m sockeye, preliminary forecasts show.
For 2018 statewide, ADF&G is predicting a total salmon harvest of 148.9m fish: 51.8m sockeye, 70.2m pinks, 21m chum, 5.8m coho and 99,000 Chinook.ADF&G estimates that 225.7m salmon were caught statewide in 2017: 53.6m sockeye, 141.6m pinks, 25m chum, 5.3m coho and 262,000 Chinook.
Those figures do not include Chinook salmon caught in Southeast Alaska.
In terms of weight, the 1 billion pounds of salmon caught in 2017 also ranks third during the past 42 years.
Pink salmon dominated the season’s landings, accounting for 63% of the harvest and 25% of its value, though sockeye made a bigger bang with 23% of the harvest and 48% of its total value, the state says. The 25.2m chum salmon caught was a record for the state.
It was a "banner year," said Forrest Bowers, deputy director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries. “Record wild salmon harvests like these are a testament to Alaska's sound, science-based management, the professionalism of ADF&G's staff, and thoughtful stakeholder engagement."
