Seafood Source
By Cliff White, published in Supply & Trade
August 16th, 2024
The August king salmon season in Southeast Alaska will not happen after Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) determined there was a catch overage in the first retention period earlier this summer.
Commercial trollers caught 82,000 kings in the first season, above the target of 66,700, forcing ADF&G to end fishing on 8 July. While the agency’s 2024 preseason forecast estimated commercial fishermen would be left with 15,000 kings to catch in the second season in August, sport fishermen caught around 52,000 kings, exceeding their allocation by 14,000 fish. Following a controversial management plan approved in 2023, that total was deducted from the commercial troll allocation.
“Following this reduction, the remaining annual troll allocation does not provide a sufficient harvest target to open a competitive second summer commercial troll fishery Chinook salmon retention period,” ADF&G said in a 6 August release. “However, if there is an adequate number of Chinook salmon remaining on the all-gear treaty allocation, a limited harvest troll fishery may open. Any plans to open a limited harvest fishery would be announced later this month.”
Read full article here