NSRAA chum returns last week (stat week 27) seemed to flatline. There was minimal cost recovery completed in Deep Inlet and a moderate amount in SE Cove. The Hidden Falls chum weekly return last week took a slight dip to 50,000 from the previous stat week 26 return of 62,000. So far this week there seems to be an uptick in chum returns at Hidden Falls and SE Cove. Typically, stat week 28 and 29 are the peak weeks for summer chum stock returns.
Hidden Falls now has a cumulative chum return of 153,000 and is tracking slightly ahead of our preseason forecast of 409,000. This past Sunday, July 5th, Hidden Falls had the largest daily harvest of the season at 41,000 chum, 56% male ratio and will likely peak over the next week. Currently we estimate there are 30-40,000 chum brood stock inside Kasnyku Bay, our total brood stock need this year is 200,000. There have been additional area restrictions for Thursdays seine opening and area restrictions will remain in place until more brood stock has been secured. The closed area may expand or contract depending on how the return shapes up over the next two weeks.
Test fishing at Hawk Inlet, Point Gardner and Kingsmill are all tracking well below the recent 10-year average for chum harvest. We have found very few Hidden Falls or other NSRAA otolith marks in the samples and the majority are DIPAC bound chum salmon. The test fishing sample data can be found on our website at: NSRAA 2026 Test Fishing Data. Particularly concerning for the seine fleet is the near total absence of pink salmon in the test fisheries with total number of pinks to date one or less per set.
Cost Recovery at SE Cove began on June 29th with approximately 20,000 chum harvested. This week at SE Cove we have harvested over 20,000 chum and overall, the return is trending slightly above the 105,000 forecast. Deep Inlet cost recovery is ongoing with a total harvest in stat week 27 of 17,000 chum. This week we have harvested approximately 10,000 chum and will likely harvest a similar amount as we did last week. Reminder, Deep Inlet will remain closed to common property harvest until cost recovery is complete.
The Spring Troll fisheries completed for the season at the end of June and the NSRAA share was our largest contribution since 2015 of just over 4,000 chinook. Initial estimates have NSRAA chinook making up 65% of the Alaska Hatchery component in the Spring Troll fisheries. Currently there are reports of a very slow summer troll chinook opening and to date minimal chum salmon targeting or interception in the Summer Troll opening.
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