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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) […]Deep Inlet Return Over 2 Million and Climbing…..Slowly
Deep Inlet gillnet catch on Saturday was bigger than I expected with some 50,000 chum caught. Sunday’s seine catch looks to be about 50,000 also based on early catch reports. Seiners continue fishing chum today in common property areas of Sitka Sound and the gillnet fleet is back in the Deep Inlet THA.
Trolling is mostly done in Eastern Channel and Sitka Sound but not before the trollers harvested about 400,000 chum. Congratulations to the troll fleet.
Egg takes have started at Medvejie with over 8 million eggs taken over the weekend. Between this and the high female sex ratio in the fisheries the run is coming to a close. Some years the run doesn’t end until late September but this one feels like an early September end.
Deep Inlet Chum & Mist Cove Coho
Deep Inlet in-season forecast is 2.5 million chum, nearly double the preseason number. Last week saw 440,000 fish caught and may have been the peak, but the current week is already at 176,000 with only Sunday’s catch represented. Total return to date is 1.74 million, so we expect another 800,000 fish in the run. I would add this is probably conservative.
The Deep Inlet troll catch is dropping off rapidly, coinciding with the heavy rains on Saturday.The total troll catch is 410,000 and close to a new record. If it weren’t for the processor harvest limits and changes to price structure, a new record certainly would have been set. Nevertheless, the trollers had a great season on Deep Inlet chum.
The gillnet perspective is a little different due to the number of boats, estimated at 100 last week. Even though there were decent numbers going into the inlet the average catch is disappointing to many. The main body of chum stayed out in Sitka Sound for most of the past 3 weeks with only small schools pealing off into Deep Inlet. Total gillnet catch is 325,000 to date.
All NSRAA coho programs are showing high marine survivals, but Deer Lake/Mist Cove looks to be far out in front of Hidden Falls and the Sawmill Cove/Medvejie programs. The Deer Lake contribution is already at 70,000 and headed for a 15% marine survival. Hidden Falls contribution is 36,000.
Deep Inlet Second Run Heating Up
The early chum run (Hidden Falls stock) harvest came in at about 520,000, approximately double the forecast. The fall run harvest to date is roughly 250,000, although the data reporting runs behind actual catch somewhat.
The total catch last week was 130,000 fish; the trollers taking 75,000 of those with a fleet of ~50 boats, although the boat count this week is 70. Given the catch rates, it suggests there must be a large body of fish outside Deep Inlet THA from Biorka to Vitskari to Eastern Channel. In addition, even with good coho fishing near by, the chum troll fleet continues to grow. The troll and gillnet fleets are neck and neck for total season catch, each just over 160,000 since June. Early morning reports today suggest the trollers will blow by the gillnet catch this week. Catch limits for the seine fleet has influenced total catch in Deep Inlet and there is likely a latent opportunity waiting in Deep Inlet.
An August 4th sex ratio from a troll sample was 63% male, indicating the run is still in the early stages. Normal peak run timing is between August 15th and August 21st and it seems likely there is still a million chum left in the run.
The troll fleet is also doing quite well catching Hidden Falls and Deer Lake coho in districts 9, 12, 13, 14 and 16. So far trollers have caught about 60,000 NSRAA produced coho, with Deer Lake leading the pack at 40,000 to its credit. Deer Lake is on track to have a very big year.
UAS Fisheries Tech Program
UAS Fisheries Tech Program…
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UAS Sitka is the new home of the Fisheries Technology program for students all over Alaska. We currently offer a 32 credit Fisheries Technology certificate in either an emphasis in Fish Culture or Fisheries Management and a 60 credit Associate of Applied Science in Fisheries Technology degree. You can even start with one and move on to the other. Explore our program for yourself.
Hidden Falls Tax clarification
There has been some confusion regarding the Hidden Falls Assessment Tax, especially in regards to which species the tax applies to.
Please take note and pass along this information:
- Rate: the 2013 tax rate is 20%
- Species: the tax applies only to chum salmon
- Area: ADF&G Statistical Areas 112-11, 112-21, 112-22 Map of area covered by tax
- Duration: June 15-July 31
- Gear: All gear groups (seine & troll)
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