Smaller catch, bigger payoff at Bristol Bay

This year's Bristol Bay catch of nearly 15.4 million sockeye salmon brought $138.4 million ex-vessel, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports.

The previous year's catch was much bigger at almost 20.6 million sockeye, yet the payoff was lower at $117.8 million.

The difference?

Packers paid fishermen a much higher base price this year — $1.50 per pound — versus $1 last year.

It also helped that the average sockeye weighed 6 pounds this season, compared to 5.7 pounds in 2012.

None of the dollar figures quoted here include the various price adjustments and bonuses many fishermen enjoy at Bristol Bay.

Big year for Bristol Bay

Gillnetters took nearly 31 million sockeye. Wesley Loy photo

The Department of Fish and Game has released a six-page summary of this year’s Bristol Bay salmon fishery, and the numbers look pretty impressive.

• The sockeye run of 40.4 million fish and the commercial catch of 30.9 million rank 22nd and 7th respectively since statehood. The catch trounced the preseason forecast of 24 million.

• At an average price of 70 cents a pound, and an average fish weight of 5.9 pounds, the sockeye paid $127.6 million to fishermen. The tally could rise if processors pay bonuses in coming months. Last year’s catch of 27.8 million sockeye paid $111.4 million initially.

• Three early season fishing periods for Chinook salmon were a bust, netting only 875 fish. However, gillnetters took close to 30,000 Chinook in the sockeye fishery for a grand total of 30,402. That’s less than half the average harvest for the last 20 seasons.