MESSAGES TO THE FLEET
To Captain Brent Cathey on the F/V Independence:
Hello my Little Razor Clam! Sorry it’s been a while, but the big news is that I was able to make more room in your shop! You know that old truck? Maybe it’s a Ford? Can’t remember the make - Pony, or Burro or something? Bronco! That’s it! I was chatting with that nice massage therapist who’s been visiting the last few summers. When I mentioned how much space the ‘78 Burro was taking up and showed him a photo, he got really excited about helping me make more space for you! He even gave me $500 for my trouble! Who says chivalry is dead!?
Anyway, better run - have to get it cleaned out. He says he doesn’t want the Backstreet Boys CD collection you had in there.
Slay some fish!
Montana Chick
The numbers
3.4 million fish came through Bristol Bay on Friday. Fisherfolk caught 2.56 million of that with 890,677 counted, along with another 815,000 estimated in the rivers.
Total run is now just under 50 million salmon, and we’ve still got a few weeks to go.
Nushagak District
The Nushagak District had another 1.4 million fish come through. The cumulative total is now almost 23.6 million fish – already the third largest run on record there.
Fisherfolk brought in another million-harvest day. 1.35 million fish came in on Friday. The total harvest there is now 17.5 million, the third largest harvest in that district as well.
150,883 fish made it past them into the district’s three rivers. Total escapement in the Nushagak is now over 6 million.
Nushagak River
The Nushagak River had 63,018 fish counted by the sonar on Friday. Total escapement there is now over 3.1 million.
217 Chinook came through for a total of 42,189 fish this season. 298 chum joined their friends for a total of 80,319.
The sockeye run held fast at 62,503 counted yesterday for a total of over 3 million in that river.
Wood River
The Wood counting tower had the biggest escapement with 80,100 fish swimming through. Total escapement for the Wood is now 2.83 million.
Igushik River
The Igushik River added another 8,280 fish to their escapement count for a total of 173,604 fish there.
Togiak District
Westwards to Togiak, 12,712 fish came through the district there for a total so far of 91,765 fish. Harvest was at 10,000 for a cumulative 81,655 and 2,712 made it past the counting tower. Total escapement is now 10,110.
Naknek-Kvichak District
The Naknek-Kvichak District had 915,014 salmon come through with another estimated 500,000 in the rivers. The total run there is now 10.2 million fish
Harvest there was 440,000 with average drifter brining 1,002 fish in their deliveries.
Alagnak River
The Alagnak had the smallest count on Friday with only 66,144 spawning salmon. Total escapement for that river is just below half a million.
Kvichak River
The Kvichak River had 304,038 fish escape with another 500,000 sockeye estimated in the river. Total escapement there is now 1.5 million fishy friends.
Naknek River
The Naknek River had a cool 104,832 fish come through for a total thai season of 1.1 million fish.
Egegik District
Egegik had a solid run of 800,146 fish come through. The total run there is now just below 12.5 million salmon.
567,000 sockeye were harvested with the average drifter bringing in about 1,218 fish per delivery. Escapement there was at 118,146 fish counted with another 115,000 estimated in the river for a total of 1.24 million this season.
Ugashik District
Ugashik had a solid run of 333,922 fish counted with another 200,000 salmon estimated in the river. The total run there is now 3.6 million fish.
Fisherfolk caught 190,000 salmon yesterday with the average drift deliveries over twice the size of anyone else in the district at 2,468 sockeye. Total harvest this season is nearly 3 million.
Escapement for Ugashik was also at 143,922 for a cumulative count of 505,962 fish.
Vessel Registrations
In Egegik, there are 304 permits on 237 vessels today, those numbers change to 287 permits on 222 vessels on Monday. The number of DBoats will go down from 67 to 65.
In the Naknek-Kvichak District, 345 permits will rise to 463 permits in two days with vessels jumping from 295 to 377. The number of DBoats will rise from 52 to 88 by Monday.
The Nushagak fleet has 732 permits on 545 vessels today. On Monday fishers will see 731 permits on 543 boats, with DBoats going from 189 to 190.
Togiak District has 36 permits on 36 boats, and that holds through Monday.
Lastly, Ugashik fishers have 195 permits with 148 vessels. Those numbers rise to 210 permits on 159 vessels with number of DBoats going from 48 to 52.
Chignik Weir Counts
19,640 sockeye and 42 Chinook came through the Chignik River Weir on Friday for a cumulative count of 396,778 and 164 respectively.
12,548 sockeye came from the Early Run for a total of 343,054 fish, and 7,092 Late Run sockeye came back for a total of 53,724 fish for that run.
Area M
The Area M intercept fishery caught 218,706 sockeye and 13 Chinook on Friday. Cumulative harvest is as follows.
5,443 Chinook
6.15 million Sockeye
436 Coho
1.17 million Pinks
579,210 Chum
Harvest between the five species there is 7.9 million fish.
Port Moller Test Fishery
The Port Moller Test Fishery plans to demobilize soon. According to an update from Technician Scott Raborn both vessels will continue through the weekend. The R/V Half Moon Bay will end its operation for the test fishery early next week and the R/V Ocean Cat will retire for the season 1-2 days after.
Stations 8, 18, and 20 caught zero fish.
Station 0 caught 0 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 3 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 6.
Station 2 caught 5 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 2 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 16.
Station 4 caught 2 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 2 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 8.
Station 6 caught 3 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 0 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 6.
Station 10 caught 5 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 1 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 13.
Station 12 caught 1 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 0 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 3.
Station 14 caught 6 fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and 10 fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is 34.
Station 16 caught X fish in the 4 ½ inch mesh and X fish in the 5 ⅛. That catch index is XX.
Stock Composition estimate from July 6 - 7.
And we have the stock composition estimate from July 6 and 7.
