Naknek-Kvichak has extended the set net opener for the second time, and drifters have some action there too. We have the first numbers from Igushik’s counting towers, and the first age composition analysis from Port Moller.
The Naknek-Kvichak District has the catch numbers from their first active management openers. That district is also expecting more than a hundred permit transfers in the next couple days. Management biologist Travis Elison talks about what might be in store for those fishing on the east side this week.
KDLG’s Alex Hager went on a Fish and Game survey of the Wood River yesterday. He talked to biologist Jordan Head about what they saw.
Harvest in the Nushagak District was 470,000, for a cumulative of 1.6 million. Escapement yesterday was 63,600, for a total of 463,100.
The Igushik tower started counting yesterday morning. 400 fish escaped up the river yesterday. As of this morning, 1,500 had escaped for a total of 1,900.
In the Nushagak River, 13,300 sockeye escaped past the tower yesterday for a total of 146,100. Chinook escapement was 2,000, for a total of 28,300. And 12,300 chum escaped for a total of 85,900.
The Wood River tower counted 23,100 as of 6 a.m. this morning. Escapement yesterday was 50,000 for a season total of 339,700.
There will be a 6-hour drift net opener from 9 p.m. tonight until 3 a.m. tomorrow morning, followed by an opener at 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Togiak caught the majority of its harvest so far yesterday: the daily catch was 4,300, and the cumulative is now 5,500.
In Egegik, yesterday’s catch came to 207,000. Cumulative harvest is 579,000. Escapement was 30,000 yesterday – one third of the season total of 90,000.
In Ugashik, the cumulative catch remains at 2,800.
There is an 8-hour drift and set net opener for Egegik fishermen from 5:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
The Ugashik District has a 12-hour opener beginning tomorrow morning at 4 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.
The Naknek-Kvichak is seeing the results of its first active management openers. Fishermen there caught 95,000 fish yesterday, the vast majority of its season total of 98,800. Escapement was 36,500, bringing that total to 92,700.
In the Naknek River, escapement was 36,500, and the cumulative escapement there is now 92,400. Sixty-six fish escaped up the Kvichak River, for a season total of 300.
At the Port Moller Test Fishery, catch indices dropped off a bit compared to the last two days, which is not uncommon for this time of the season. The average daily index was 13. Analysts say that catches will likely pick up at Port Moller in the next few days if historical patterns are any indication.
The Port Moller team chose to sample the odd stations to try to reach the minimum target sample size of 190 fish for a stock composition estimate.
In total, crews were able to set at 18 stations across 100 miles yesterday. Sampling in between stations provides a greater spatial resolution and allows analysts to better assess patchiness across the transect.
Catch this program nightly live at 6 p.m., with replays at 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. on AM 670, and online at KDLG.org. (With early broadcasts of the numbers Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.)
Letters from home to your friends and family in the Bay this summer? Email us at fish@kdlg.org or call 907-842-5281.
Have feedback or suggestions of something you'd like to hear? Reach Izzy Ross / Tyler Thompson / Alex Hager / Sage Smiley (in Naknek)
Contact the author at isabelle@kdlg.org 907-842-2200.
