Get in touch and share some perspective — give us a call at 907-842-5281 or send an email to fish@kdlg.org. If you’d like to get a message out to the fleet on this show, send your messages to the fleet to fish@kdlg.org.
Dillingham Celebrates the Start of Fishing Season
In Dillingham last weekend, the community held several events geared at bringing people together before the fishing season kicks off.
KDLG caught up with folks gathered for barbecues, games, and to bless this year's fleet before they take to the water. The fishermen there were optimistic, but keeping an eye on how the industry has changed since last season.
Nushagak Sockeye Numbers Highest in Recorded History
Sockeye numbers in the Nushagak River are at record highs for this early in June, they’re more than double the previous record.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s policy is to open the Nushagak region to commercial fishing with drift nets once a certain number of sockeye have been counted in the Nushagak and Wood Rivers. The predicted opening is still almost a week away, but with record numbers, the region may open much sooner.
KDLG spoke with Tim Sands, the area management biologist for the west side of Bristol Bay, about what the record breaking number of sockeye in the Nushagak River means for both King Salmon populations, and the timing and size of this season’s commercial sockeye harvest.
Fishermen in Dillingham Share What’s on Their Minds Going Into a New Season
KDLG caught up with them last week before they headed out into the bay.
Messages to the Fleet
We have three messages to the fleet tonight.
To Olav Refvik on the fishing vessel Hanna Sofia in the Nushagak:
We would like to wish you a very happy birthday and a safe and prosperous season to you and your crew
Your cousin, Karl
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To Captain Brent Cathey on the F/V Independence:
Hello Stud Muffin! Quick message to let you know all is well at home. Heads up your order of the Clementine Starfruit Body lotion and brow waxing kit came in and I’ll send both soon. Am also sending your Barry Manilow CD collection as I’m reorganizing the closet. Your Spice Girls set is going to Matt Hakela on the Jenny M. His wife said he loves their early work.
Okay, love and miss you! Safe travels!
Montana Chick
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To Avery on the F/V Independence:
Hello Sparkles! The critters and I sure do miss you. GiGi left a couple gifts in your room. I hope they are mummified by the time you get back. Heads up I wasn’t able to ship your Katana, apparently the airline doesn’t allow transport of lethal Japanese fighting swords. Who knew?! Am also not going to send your MMA DVDs - your probation officer says it won’t help with your program.
Love and miss you! Safe travels!
Montana Mom
The Numbers
Another Port Moller stock composition is in, and while almost 50% are headed towards the Nushagak district once again, a big school is making its way to the Egegik river as well. Vessel registration shows a huge increase in permits popping up in the Nushagak, as fishermen on the edge of their seats are waiting for that opener.
Baywide Total
The baywide catch on Thursday was 81,800 fish, making the total season catch nearly 313,000. Overall escapement is at 526,000 so far. The total run as of Thursday, June 19 was estimated at 839,000 sockeye. The preseason forecast is set at 51.4 million fish, and the preseason estimated range is 37–66 million fish.
Nushagak River
The Nushagak River sonar counted 60,700 sockeye on Thursday, for a total of over 402,000 sockeye up the Nushagak so far, with 16,400 as of 6 a.m. this morning.
520 Chinook passed the Nushagak River sonar; their total is 6,500 so far this season. 630 chum salmon passed the sonar yesterday, for a total of 51,800.
The Nushagak River is expecting an escapement of 2 million fish, with an escapement goal range of 370,000 to 2.5 million. The escapement goal range for chinook salmon is 55,000 to 120,000.
Wood River
31,100 sockeye passed the Wood River counting tower on Thursday, for a total of 83,500 so far, with another 10,900 fish passing the tower as of 6 a.m. this morning. Overall escapement is forecasted to be 2.4 million sockeye this season, with an escapement goal range of 700,000 to 3 million.
Togiak
Fishing crews in Togiak caught 980 fish on Thursday, for a total catch of 1,800 so far, with an average drift delivery of 105 sockeye.
The Togiak River’s forecasted run is 1 million fish, and its escapement estimate is 230,000.
Naknek-Kvichak
Naknek and Kvichak fishing fleets caught 6,900 fish yesterday; for a total of 34,400, with a drift delivery of 281 sockeye. The pre-season catch forecast is around 7.7 million fish.
Naknek tower crews spotted 2,000 fish yesterday, their total is just over that. The Naknek’s escapement estimate is 1.1 million sockeye, and escapement goal range is 800,000 to 2 million.
The Kvichak River’s escapement forecast is at 4 million fish, and their escapement goal range is at 2 million to 10 million.
The total preseason estimate for Naknek/Kvichak is a 16 million sockeye run.
Egegik
Egegik fleets brought in 48,700 fish yesterday, making their total catch roughly 183,000, with an average drift delivery of 253 sockeye. The pre-season catch forecast is 5.2 million fish.
31,100 spawners were counted passing the towers in Egegik yesterday, making the season’s total escapement 37,800 fish. The Egegik river’s escapement forecast is 1.1 million fish, with an escapement goal range of 800,000 to 2 million.
The total season run so far for Egegik is around 220,000, and the preseason run forecast is 6.5 million sockeye salmon.
Ugashik
Ugashik fleets brought in 25,200 fish yesterday, their total harvest is over 94,300, with an average drift delivery of 400 sockeye.
Ugashik’s catch forecast is 5.5 million fish, and escapement is an expected 1.2 million, with an escapement goal range of 500,000 to 1.4 million.
Vessel Registrations
As of 9am this morning, in Egegik, there are 169 permits on 119 boats. By Sunday that should increase to 171 permits on 120 boats, and the number of DBoats will bump up from 50 to 51.
The Ugashik District has 83 permits on 59 boats, which will decrease to 77 permits on 56 boats in the next 2 days. DBoats will go from 24 to 21.
In the Naknek-Kvichak District, there are now 35 permits on 30 boats. That should increase to 36 permits on 30 boats by Sunday. DBoats will go from 5 to 6.
In the Nushagak, there are 55 permits on 47 boats. In the next 2 days, that should bump up to 178 permits on 130 boats. DBoats will increase from 8 to 48.
In Togiak there are 12 permits on 12 boats, and that should remain the same by Sunday.
In total bay-wide, there are 354 active permits on 267 boats and 87 DBoats.
Chignik River weir
At the Chignik River weir, over 10,600 sockeye swam through the weir on Thursday, for a season total of 110,000 so far.
Around 10,400 fish were part of the early run, and 200 fish were part of the late run.
Area M
We have no harvest report for Area M this evening, but will update you with the latest counts next Monday evening.
Port Moller Test Fishery
The test fishery crew analyzed 190 fish for their latest stock composition, observing June 17th and 18th.
Nushagak 24.1%, Wood 23.5%, Egegik 23.2%, Kvichak 13.7%, Naknek 5.7%, North Peninsula 4.0%, Kuskokwim 3.3%, Alagnak 1.1%, Ugashik 0.7%, Igushik 0.5%, Togiak 0.1%.
Port Moller crews have experienced a huge index at Station 8, but also a baffling decline in stations 10 and up.
For Port Moller catches on Thursday, no fish were caught at Stations 2, 4, 16, 20, 22, and 24.
Station 6 caught 24 fish in the small net and 3 fish in the big net. That catch index is 74.
Station 8 caught 110 fish in the small net and 72 fish in the big net. That catch index is 352.
Station 10 caught 9 fish in the small net and 5 fish in the big net. That catch index is 42.
Station 12 caught 4 fish in the small net and 0 fish in the big net. That catch index is 9.
Station 14 caught 0 fish in the small net and 1 fish in the big net. That catch index is 3.
Station 18 caught 0 fish in the small net and 1 fish in the big net. That catch index is 3.
Overall, the average catch index for Thursday was 44, the highest of the season. The average length of fish caught in the small mesh is 493mm, and 517mm for fish in the big mesh.
