Fall chum returns to Deep Inlet have begun this past week and are tracking along with our pre-season projections for the stat week. Gillnet harvest at Deep Inlet this past week was 25,000 chum and the seine chum harvest may top 100,000 by the end of harvest on Friday. Troll chum effort and catch increased this past week in Sitka Sound and approximately 15,000 have been harvested in stat week 32. There are reports that the troll chum catch dropped off in the last 24 hours with the change to rainy, windy, weather conditions in the sound. Total fall chum harvest for Deep Inlet for stat week 32 will likely be in the 150,000 fish range.
The Deep Inlet THA will remain open for troll through 11:59 p.m., August 9, at which time the THA will close to common property fishing for cost recovery. The Deep Inlet cost recovery harvest is currently 62% complete and cost recovery fishing will restart on Sunday, August 10th. Based upon fall chum run timing and run strength the THA may need to be closed for several weeks to fulfill the cost recovery goal. Once the cost recovery goal is complete the THA will reopen for common property fishing. NSRAA has projected a total return of 1.4 million fall chum to Deep Inlet.
Coho returns continue to be strong and above recent harvest averages for this date with Hidden Falls and Deer Lake leading the NSRAA coho projects. To date over 20,000 NSRAA coho have been harvested in troll and sport fisheries.
RSS - Posts
Recent Comments