New salmon season in sight!

The famed Copper River fishery, generally regarded as the annual kickoff to a new Alaska salmon season, will open at 7 a.m. May 22 for a 12-hour period, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said in this advisory announcement.

The sockeye outlook is bright with the state forecasting a commercial harvest of 1.92 million fish, more than twice the 10-year average of 824,000.

As usual, Chinook salmon conservation measures are expected to constrain the fishery somewhat.

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.

Big sockeye catch predicted at Copper River

The state is forecasting a terrific harvest of 1.92 million sockeye salmon this year at the Copper River.

Togiak herring forecast

Once again, a huge volume of herring will be up for grabs this year at Togiak, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game setting a harvest quota of 41,163 tons for the sac roe fishery.

It's unclear, however, whether the industry has any taste for Togiak herring. The fishery was dormant in 2023 and 2024, and processors, purse seiners and gillnetters may stay home this year as well.

State posts Southeast Chinook run forecasts

Details in this advisory announcement.

Southeast pink salmon forecast

The Southeast Alaska pink salmon harvest in 2025 is predicted to be in the "average" range at 29 million fish.

More details in this advisory announcement.

A second Bristol Bay forecast

The University of Washington's 2025 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon forecast projects a harvest of 37.8 million fish.

That compares to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game forecast of 34.8 million fish.

A bigger Bristol Bay catch expected next year

The state has released its 2025 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon forecast, which predicts a harvest of 34.8 million fish.

That would surpass the 31.6 million sockeye taken this past season.

An 'average' sockeye run for Upper Cook Inlet

Here's the 2024 forecast.

Here's the Copper River salmon forecast!

This year's commercial harvest is predicted to be nearly 1.3 million sockeye. That's pretty good!

Here's the forecast announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Here's the Togiak herring forecast, if anyone cares

Once again, a large volume of herring is forecasted at Togiak.

But we might see a repeat of last season, when the fishery never opened due to lack of industry interest.

'Average' pink salmon harvest predicted

Details in this advisory announcement.

Bristol Bay forecast is out

The state is forecasting a 2024 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon harvest of 25 million fish.

That would be a big drop from this season's catch of 40.6 million sockeye.

Bristol Bay salmon notes

Here are a few items of interest.

• The projected Bristol Bay harvest next year is 26.4 million sockeye. That's according to a preliminary forecast from the University of Washington Fisheries Research Institute. A harvest of that size would be much smaller than this year's 39.4 million sockeye.

• Bristol Bay setnetters are voting now by mail on whether to self-impose a 1 percent tax on their harvest to join the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association, whose membership currently includes only driftnetters. The election closes on Oct. 19.

• Michael Jackson has resigned, creating a vacancy on the BBRSDA board of directors.

• The Alaska Board of Fisheries is being asked to clarify the rules regarding the 32-foot vessel length limit in the Bristol Bay fishery. The board will meet for a work session Oct. 12-13.

Upper Cook Inlet sockeye forecast

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

Copper River forecast is out!

A commercial harvest of 987,000 sockeye salmon is expected this year, according to the forecast from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Another huge Togiak herring forecast

The state today announced a harvest quota of 57,419 tons for next year's Togiak sac roe herring fishery.

Another hefty quota for the Sitka herring fishery

Details in this announcement just out from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

'Weak' forecast for Southeast Alaska pink salmon

Here's the announcement.

Bristol Bay forecast is out!

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is forecasting a 2023 Bristol Bay sockeye salmon harvest of 36.7 million fish.

That would be a large harvest, though way smaller than last season's record-setting 60.1 million sockeye.