Port Moller Test Fishery Update from Monday's Catch

The ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery continues to post the highest index numbers on record for this time in the season. On Monday there were another 243 sockeye caught as part of the Test Fishery. The vast majority of the fish were caught at station 6. 218 sockeye were taken at that station. Just 12 sockeye were taken from station 8 and 7 fish were taken at station 4. 5 sockeye were caught at station 2 and just 1 fish was taken at station 10. 144 of the 243 sockeye caught on Monday were taken out of the 5 1/8 inch mesh panels. 99 fish were caught in the 4 ½ inch mesh panels. Monday’s catch pushes the cumulative traditional Port Moller index number up to 505. That’s the highest such number on record. The previous high was 458 recorded in 2011. That year the total run was 30-million sockeye. The all-time low index number for June 17 was 66 recorded back in 1994. That was a year that produced a total run of 50-million sockeye. The average cumulative traditional index number is 231. You can take a look at the latest Port Moller updates online on the website of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association at www.bbrsda.com.