A down year for salmon

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released its summary of the 2024 commercial salmon season, and the numbers are nothing to shout about.

The total catch managed to crawl above 100 million fish, finishing at 101.2 million. That's a 56 percent decrease from the 2023 total.

"The 2024 commercial salmon fishery harvest for all species was valued at approximately $304 million, a significant decrease from $398 million from the 2023 season," the department reports.

Bigger price, smaller fish at Bristol Bay

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has posted its summary of the 2024 Bristol Bay salmon season, and the numbers certainly are interesting.

• The average ex-vessel price for sockeye was 89 cents per pound, way better than the 52 cents indicated in the 2023 season summary.

• The high proportion of younger fish in this year's run resulted in the smallest average sockeye weight on record at 4.53 pounds. Last year's sockeye averaged 5.54 pounds.

• The year's harvest tallied 31.6 million sockeye, well below the more than 40.5 million last year.

• Despite the smaller fish and reduced harvest, this year's sockeye fishery was worth more at a preliminary value of $127.4 million, compared to last year's $116.8 million.

Bristol Bay eastside salmon announcement No. 1

Read it right here.

It's halibut time!

The commercial fishery for Pacific halibut opened at 6 a.m. today.

Good luck to the fleet and please be safe!