FISHERIES UPDATE FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 19-24, 2022. Report #9

SOUTHEAST ALASKA 

Sitka and Hoonah Area – Forest Service, Tongass National Forest

Position vacant – No reports expected for remainder of season.

Petersburg and Wrangell Area –Andrew Sanders, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest
Andrew Sanders, (907)772-3871 andrew.sanders@usda.gov
Petersburg and Wrangell Area –Andrew Sanders, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest
Andrew Sanders, (907)772-3871 andrew.sanders@usda.gov
The pre-season terminal run forecast for large Chinook Salmon in the Stikine River is 7,400 fish. This forecast is below the goal range of 14,000 to 28,000 fish. Directed commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries in the area have been closed to protect this return. Currently, all drift gillnet, purse seine and non-terminal harvest area troll fisheries for Chinook Salmon are closed in district 8.
The 2022 Stikine River pre-season Sockeye Salmon forecast is 63,000 fish, with 42,00 Tahltan and 21,000 Mainstem fish. The escapement objective for Tahltan bound Sockeye Salmon is 18,000 to 30,000, and 20,000 to 40,000 for Mainstem fish. The 2022 forecast for Tahltan is expected to meet the escapement objective with a sufficient surplus for allowable harvest. The forecast for the mainstem is not expected to exceed the escapement goal.
The 2022 Federal Stikine River Sockeye Salmon subsistence fishery began June 21, and ends July 31. The river level is falling, resulting in better fishing conditions than previous weeks. A total of 97 permits have been issued for the Stikine fishery, and total harvest is estimated at 980 Sockeye Salmon so far this season. 

Juneau and Yakutat – Forest Service, Tongass National Forest
Jake Musslewhite, 907-789-6256  jacob.g.musslewhite@usda.gov

July 25, 2022

Northern Inside Waters – Purse seine and gillnet fisheries are in full swing throughout northern Southeast. After initially dismal indicators of Pink Salmon returns, the humpies appear to be showing up, though still not in huge numbers. Same goes for Chum Salmon returns, which have improved in recent weeks. Sockeye Salmon returns in the area appear to be reasonably strong based on anecdotal reports, test fishery catches and commercial harvest data. Sockeye catches in the Hawk Inlet test fishery have been above the ten-year average, suggesting decent returns to northern Southeast. Reports from the field are encouraged and appreciated.

Sitkoh Lake – The Sitkoh Lake weir was installed on July 15 (Figure 1). The Sitkoh Lake weir is a cooperative project between the Forest Service and the Angoon Community Association, and monitors Sockeye Salmon escapement to the lake using a remotely monitored video weir. In 2021, we counted a total of 5,303 Sockeye Salmon through the weir. This was an improvement from the poor escapements of 2017-2019, but less than the 8,000-12,000 fish seen in previous years (Figure 2). Returns are likely to be on the low side, based on the poor escapements in parent years.