The baywide catch yesterday topped a million for the first time this season, with a haul of 1.6 million fish. Nushagak fleets brought in about a third of those fish, followed by fleets in the Naknek/Kvichak and Egegik. Test fishery crews say they expect a push of Nushagak fish today and tomorrow with Kvichak fish to follow. Almost two thirds of the fish caught at Port Moller this season have been caught in the smaller mesh size, indicating smaller fish. That trend of smaller fish is expected to continue this season.

An electrical fire damaged one of three spiral freezers aboard the Hannah on Sunday, June 30, 2024. That’s Northline Seafoods’ new floating processor, which is anchored in Bristol Bay’s Nushagak district this salmon season. The vessel is currently operating at a reduced capacity, and other processors are taking on some of Northline’s fleet.

King fishing in the Nushagak district moves to catch and release with no bait for the rest of the season.

The baywide catch yesterday was 860,000, with over half of those fish coming from the Nushagak district. Northline's floating processor experienced an electrical fire, severely damaging one of their spiral freezers. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is limiting sport fishing for king salmon. We see how next week will look with another Weather Wednesday from Rick Thoman.

The baywide catch yesterday fell slightly, with a haul of just under 880,000 fish across districts. Nushagak fleets brought in half of those fish, followed by fleets in the Naknek/Kvichak and Egegik. The mean catch index at Port Moller bounced back after yesterday’s catches, following a downward trend over the last five days. Test fishery crews also say that Kvichak fleets should expect a big influx of fish over the next few days.

Fleets in the Nushagak made their biggest daily catch so far this season, bringing in 740,000 fish, and escapement at the Wood River counting tower and Nushagak River sonar is starting to slow down. Alaska State Troopers recovered the missing body of a Dillingham man. Kings caught by test fisheries go to Curyung elders.

The bay-wide catch nearly doubled on Thursday, with daily catch numbers picking up across the board. The decision on whether to list Gulf of Alaska king salmon as an endangered species has been extended. We hear from a returning processor worker here in Bristol Bay. Plus, Cordova's fishing season opens.

With blistering winds and stormy seas yesterday, the first commercial opening of the Nushagak was quite the event. Management biologists determined that a sufficient number of sockeye were on their way to the Nushagak sonar station to open up the district to commercial harvest. Nushagak fleets brought in nearly 248,000 fish. Port Moller’s test fishing yesterday had to come to a halt, with winds and weather preventing them from collecting samples at all stations except for one.

The bay-wide catch is up to nearly 472,000 fish so far this season, with most fish yesterday caught by Egegik and Ugashik fleets. Commercial drift netting is set to open in the Nushagak district at 6 p.m. tonight. Hear from Tim Sands as many crews out on the water are waiting for the opener. Net Your Problem and the Curyung Tribe try to bring new life to old nets. Rick Thoman is back with this week's Weather Wednesday for the tale behind the gale.

Hundreds of nets hit Bristol Bay’s waters every year. But what happens to those nets once they’re retired? In Bristol Bay, fishing gear recycling company Net Your Problem partners with the Curyung Tribe to bring new life to old nets. KDLG’s Jessie Sheldon has more.