Bristol Bay busts out

Bristol Bay commercial fishermen are netting some huge sockeye hauls, indicating the run could be peaking early this season.

Here's a rundown of recent daily production:

June 29 — 1.07 million fish
June 28 — 2.04 million fish
June 27 — 2.66 million fish
June 26 — 2.04 million fish
June 25 — 1.40 million fish

The fishing has been so hot that some buyers reportedly have placed their fleets on delivery limits to allow processing plants to catch up.

Through Sunday, the baywide catch totaled just shy of 10 million sockeye.

The state preseason forecast called for a harvest of 16.86 million sockeye for the year.

Blotter

Check out The Brig for an avalanche of enforcement news.

Salmon notes

Here are a few highlights from Alaska's young salmon season.

• The statewide, all-species catch stands at about 14 million fish. The forecast calls for a harvest of 133 million salmon for the year.

• Sockeye is the dominant catch so far, totaling more than 11 million.

• In Southeast Alaska, trollers have taken more than 36,150 Chinook salmon in the spring fishery.

• Copper River gillnetters already have exceeded their season forecast of 1.6 million sockeye.

• The action is starting to pick up at Bristol Bay, scene of Alaska's flagship salmon fishery. Gillnetters on Friday landed a monster haul of nearly 2.7 million sockeye, bringing the season tally to 6.8 million. The state has forecast a catch of 16.9 million sockeye for the year.

• On the Lower Yukon River, commercial fishermen using dipnets and beach seines have caught about 600,000 chum salmon, with nearly 4,800 Chinook reported caught and released.

Begich, Young net UFA endorsements

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, says United Fishermen of Alaska has endorsed his re-election bid.

The Begich campaign says longtime Alaska Congressman Don Young, a Republican, also has UFA's support.

Read more here.

UFA is the state's top commercial fishing organization. No word yet whether the group likes Gov. Sean Parnell for another term.

Fukushima radiation update

Testing shows Alaska seafood remains free of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. More details here.

Kinneen, Henderschedt confirmed for council

The U.S. Department of Commerce has confirmed Simon Kinneen, of Nome, to a seat on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. He replaces the outgoing Eric Olson.

The department also approved John Henderschedt, of Washington state, for another three-year term on the council.

Here's the official announcement.

Is lightning a problem for Alaska fishermen?

Deckboss is seriously respectful of lightning.

I haven't spent enough time offshore to know if lightning is much of a hazard in Alaska waters.

Regardless, please know this is Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

Alaska fishermen, if you've had a bad bolt encounter, please share the story with us!