UW's Fisheries Research Institute Lowers the Forecast for the Sockeye Run to Bristol Bay

The University of Washington’s “Fisheries Research Institute” has revised its forecast down for Bristol Bay’s massive sockeye salmon run. The University of Washington has been studying the sockeye run to Bristol Bay since the 1940’s and they closely follow the run as it develops each June. The Fisheries Research Institute projected that the sockeye run to Bristol Bay would total about 29.4-million fish in their pre-season forecast. However, in an in-season release issued on Sunday, FRI noted that the new model puts the total run at 28.3-million sockeye. That’s down over a million fish compared to the preseason forecast. The Institute notes that the decline in the in-season estimate is in part due to continued weak catches in the South Peninsula June fishery. FRI also closely watches the ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery and the Institute even puts together their own Port Moller index number. FRI’s cumulative index number on Saturday June 21st was 1108. The average cumulative index value for June 21st dating back to 1990 is 1490. The next in-season release from the “Fisheries Research Institute” is expected later this week.