Another lost season for Cook Inlet setnetters?

The Upper Cook Inlet eastside setnet fishery, which targets sockeye, was closed for the entire 2024 season to protect a poor run of Kenai River king salmon.

Now, setnetters might be facing another shutdown season, per this advisory announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Bright outlook for Cook Inlet sockeye

The state is forecasting an "excellent" sockeye salmon run of 6.93 million fish this year for Upper Cook Inlet.

Last year, the commercial harvest of Upper Cook Inlet sockeye was 1.87 million fish on a run of 6.64 million.

Lots more number in this advisory announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Cook Inlet setnetters in line for disaster dollars

The federal government today announced disaster funding for the 2021 and 2022 Upper Cook Inlet eastside setnet salmon fisheries.

Cook Inlet battle royal set

The Alaska Board of Fisheries holds lots of meetings, none more contentious than those devoted to Upper Cook Inlet.

Tomorrow in Anchorage, the board begins a 12-day meeting to consider 185 Upper Cook Inlet finfish proposals.

Debate around Cook Inlet salmon management is always intense as multiple user groups — commercial, sport, dipnet, and subsistence — compete for the fish.

We won't attempt to describe all the proposals at play for this meeting. But we note one that's generating quite a lot of buzz.

Proposal 43 would reduce production of hatchery pink salmon, which some people see as detrimental to wild fish.

The state's hatchery industry is lined up against the proposal. Here are some others opposing it:

OBI Seafoods

Pacific Seafood Processors Association

Kodiak state Rep. Louise Stutes

An 'average' sockeye run for Upper Cook Inlet

Here's the 2024 forecast.

Upper Cook Inlet sockeye forecast

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts an "average" run this year.

Upper Cook Inlet salmon outlook

The state is forecasting a commercial harvest of 1.6 million sockeye this year, about 1 million fish below the 20-year average.

Upper Cook Inlet salmon forecast released

The state is forecasting a commercial harvest of 1.9 million sockeye salmon next year in Upper Cook Inlet.

This past season tallied 1.8 million sockeye.

Poor outlook for Upper Cook Inlet sockeye

The state's 2017 forecast projects a commercial harvest of 1.7 million sockeye in Upper Cook Inlet.

That would be 1.2 million fewer than the 20-year average, the forecast says.

Good job, bad job

Here are dueling columns, published in the Anchorage Daily News, on the recent Board of Fisheries meeting on Upper Cook Inlet.

Mark Hamilton, chair, Kenai River Sportfishing Association
Frank Mullen, commercial fisherman, Homer

Outlook is good for Upper Cook Inlet sockeye

Here's the 2013 forecast for Upper Cook Inlet sockeye salmon.

It calls for a harvest of 4.9 million fish by all user groups. That's well above the 20-year average of 3.8 million.