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July 23-Return Update - Since closing for cost recovery Deep Inlet summer chum returns have continued at a steady yet slow pace and the summer run will likely come in at 200,000 adults, the lower range of our pre-season forecast. Through July 23rd we have harvested 40% of our cost recovery goal and have seen a small uptick in […]
Return Update-July 8th - 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 […]
Return Update-June 25th - NSRAA chinook returns have been picking up the past several weeks with a total estimated harvest in Stat Week 25 of 1,341 adults. The spring chinook fisheries in the Sitka area have harvested over 2,000 Medvejie chinook making up 47% of the Sitka Sound area commercial troll harvest. Currently the return is looking like it […]
Gulf of Alaska Chinook Salmon do not warrant listing under Endangered Species Act - NOAA has concluded its 12-month scientific review to not list Chinook salmon in the Gulf of Alaska as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Action (ESA). PRESS RELEASE NMFS ESA Ruling
NSRAA Salmon Bake & Hatchery Tour - NSRAA will be offering hatchery tours and a BBQ lunch at Medvejie Hatchery on Saturday, June 27th. Lunch will consist of barbecued King Salmon, baked potato, green salad, rolls, watermelon and non-alcoholic drinks. Tickets are $15.00 per person- CASH ONLY and can be purchased during office hours at NSRAA- 1308 Sawmill Creek Road. (8-5 Mon-Fri) […]Hidden Falls & Deep Inlet Chum Return Out of the Blocks
It is too early to predict what will happen with the chum return at either Hidden Falls or Deep Inlet. There have been years at Hidden Falls when there were only 8,000 fish caught by the week ending June 28 which ended up with total returns for those years at 2.7 m (’99) and 3.1 million (’00) chum salmon. There have also been years when catches have been in excess of 350,000 by June 28 and the run ended up at 1.3 million (2013). Total catch to date at Hidden Falls is 43,000 chum with one opening to go for the week. Therefore, it is likely the week will end behind the twenty year average of 150,000.
Deep Inlet is starting off strong with the total chum harvest at 65,000 with several gillnet and seine openings to go before the week closes out. This compares to the twenty year average of 27,000 through statistical week 26. Both the historical average and this year’s catch to date are far behind the 2013 cumulative catch of 192,000 (the largest cumulative catch by week 26 on record, although not the highest total return by a long measure). Chum size is large at both Hidden Falls and Deep Inlet, about 10 lbs and 9 lbs respectively. Scales have not been read yet but these early fish most likely have a high proportion of 5 year olds.
Given the poor performance of two of the three chum runs in PWS and slow start at Kendrick, I am nervous about what the next week will bring. The anxiety is right at historic average, which is a poor indicator of anything.
Hidden Falls Chum Schedule Update
Hidden Falls opens for the season on Sunday, June 15, 2014, NOT June 22 as previously reported on our website. Seiners please take note of this and pass the word. The 2014 assessment rate has been set at 20%. This is a preliminary figure and should be finalized by late May. More details can be found here: Hidden Falls 2014 Schedule & Tax Assessment Area Map.
Deep Inlet Schedule Set for 2014
The Deep Inlet 2014 schedule was finalized at the spring Board of Directors Meeting. Fishing begins on June 1. Once again this year we will be conducting no cost recovery harvest in the THA – thanks to DIPAC’s financial contribution. Schedules are below, and can also be found on our Home page and FrontPage.
2014 Deep Inlet schedule – Calendar and additional information
2014 Deep Inlet schedule – Single page calendar only – for printing
2014 ADF&G News Release – Deep Inlet – Official Schedule
Petersburg Meeting – NSRAA Board of Directors
NSRAA’s Spring 2014 Board of Directors Meeting will be held in Petersburg this year!
The meeting will be held March 4-5, 2014 in the Lutheran Church, beginning at 9 a.m. each day.
Topics will include planning for the 2014 fishing season, FY15 budget, chum expansion plans, Board of Fish Proposals, project reviews and more. See the agenda for more details.
Proceedings are open to the public. Please come join us and meet NSRAA’s board members and staff.
Poster: click to enlarge:
Hidden Falls Dock Update
Construction is moving along nicely on the Hidden Falls dock project. The gangway is under construction and won’t arrive on-site for awhile. In the meantime, the old gangway is being used for dock access. Much of the work on the ramp, pier and dock is complete and is already seeing some use.
What an amazing improvement from the old dock!
Pier construction 2013: framing
Pier construction 2013: decking
Pier construction 2013
Dock construction 2013: First vessel to dock at pier
Dock construction 2013: ramp
Dock construction 2013: ramp in use
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