Salmon notes

• Bristol Bay exploded for a Fourth of July catch of more than 2.3 million sockeye, the largest daily catch of the season so far and the first day for a haul exceeding 2 million fish.

• An available surplus of sockeye will allow for a commercial fishery at Goodnews Bay, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced. "Sockeye salmon run strengths in the Kuskokwim area have been increasing over the last 20 years," the department said, noting one commercial processor is registered to buy.

• The long closure in the Copper River District continues. Here's the latest from Fish and Game. The last opener was June 11.

Salmon notes

Here are a few observations from the young salmon season thus far.

• The statewide commercial catch as of this moment stands at 3.7 million salmon. More than 2 million of these are sockeye.

• The Copper River salmon fishery is struggling and currently stuck in a long closure amid lagging escapement. "The cumulative commercial harvest to date is 4,172 Chinook and 228,277 sockeye salmon," the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said yesterday in this advisory announcement.

• The first opener of the Southeast Alaska summer troll season will begin July 1 targeting about 81,300 treaty Chinook salmon, Fish and Game announced yesterday. Last year's first period quota was 36,500 treaty Chinook.

Copper River gets it started

Alaska's new salmon season kicked off Friday with a 12-hour commercial driftnet opener in the Copper River District.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported a harvest of 967 Chinook salmon and 39,000 sockeye.

That compares to 1,090 Chinook and 28,128 sockeye in the first opener last year.

The department has set another 12-hour opener for Tuesday in the Copper River District.

The new salmon season comes in sight!

The famed Copper River salmon fishery will open at 7 a.m. May 22 for a 12-hour period, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today.

The commercial harvest forecast for this year is 728,000 sockeye, which is on par with the 10-year average of 733,000, the department said.

Sockeye and king salmon from the Copper River are a highly anticipated culinary treat each year, with the start of the fishery serving as the kickoff to a new Alaska salmon season.

Significant news from Silver Bay

Silver Bay Seafoods, one of Alaska's largest salmon processors, today provided the following statement from Branson Spiers, chief operating officer:

Silver Bay Seafoods will be buying salmon in all Prince William Sound drift and seine fisheries in 2026, and we will continue to provide fleet services in Cordova. Given the low salmon forecasts in PWS, we've developed an operational plan that prioritizes fishermen opportunity and economics, with processing planned in Valdez and Seward.

We've asked the company for clarification, but presumably this means Silver Bay will not process salmon this season at its plant in Cordova, the main port for the gillnet fleet targeting famed Copper River salmon.

Here's your Copper River salmon forecast

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game predicts an uninspiring commercial harvest this year of 728,000 sockeye.

Copper River shortfall

The Copper River District saw a commercial sockeye salmon harvest of about 840,000 fish this year, less than half the preseason forecast of 1.92 million.

Lots more numbers in this Prince William Sound salmon season summary.

Salmon notes

Here are observations from the young salmon season so far.

• Action is picking up across Alaska, with anticipation building for the big Bristol Bay fishery. The statewide harvest just clicked over 1 million salmon, with most coming from the Prince William Sound region including the Copper River. You can track the catch on the Blue Sheet.

• Speaking of the Copper River, the sockeye catch stands at about 274,000 fish, which lags the 20-year average for this date of 595,000. Measures to conserve the weak Chinook run have constrained the sockeye fishery. But fishermen are still getting openers, with the Copper River District opening today for a 12-hour driftnet fishing period.

Copper River closure

The Copper River District is closing to commercial driftnetting because "the Chinook salmon return may be weak and conservative management at this time is warranted," the state says in this advisory announcement.

It's a start

The Copper River salmon fishery kicked off a new season on Thursday, with the district producing a modest 27,368 sockeye and 1,083 Chinook on 353 deliveries during a 12-hour opener.

The fishery opened six days later than last season, which saw a surprisingly large opening day haul of around 43,000 sockeye.

The Copper River District will open tomorrow for another 12-hour driftnet fishing period, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced.

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.

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.

Salmon notes

Here's a news roundup from the salmon season thus far.

• The Bristol Bay catch now stands at nearly 21 million sockeye. Fishing remains strong with more than 1 million fish taken yesterday.

• Driftnetters have taken nearly 1.3 million sockeye in the Copper River District, and Eshamy Main Bay has produced more than 1 million sockeye.

• Circle Seafoods confirms the first of several planned processing barges will not be ready in time to take part in this year's Southeast Alaska salmon fisheries. In the interim, the company is renting plant space in Metlakatla this summer to handle pinks and chums from a handful of seiners, the Ketchikan Daily News reports.

• In Canada, the Fraser River sockeye run size forecast is the lowest on record. More details in this Pacific Salmon Commission report.

Copper River update

The Copper River District commercial salmon fishery will resume at 7 a.m. Thursday for a 12-hour period, but the Chitina dipnet fishery will remain closed at least through June 9 due to a low sonar count.

A timeout for the Copper River

The Copper River is off to a hot start this season, with the first three fishing periods yielding stronger than expected catches of sockeye salmon.

Now, the fishery is taking a break.

The Copper River District will remain closed on Monday, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today. The department didn't say when the fishery might reopen.

The problem appears to be lagging escapement upriver. The cumulative sonar count through Friday was 2,808 fish whereas 44,862 had been projected, the department said.

The cumulative harvest to date in the Copper River District is about 168,000 sockeye and 4,100 Chinook.

Fast start for the Copper River

Yesterday's Copper River season opener produced an estimated 43,000 sockeye salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports.

That's way above the projected harvest of 14,900 sockeye for the 12-hour period.

Fishermen also took 1,100 Chinook, the department said.

Copper River salmon season opens May 16!

More details in this announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

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.

Calling out Copper River salmon fishermen

Federal officials came out today with some pointed counsel: "Do not kill or injure seals and sea lions and harm the good name of your world-class fishery."

Reward for sea lion shooter

Federal authorities are offering a reward for information on the shooting of seven Steller sea lions near Cordova.