Overall harvests of pink salmon in Prince William Sound rose to 20.3 million fish as of Wednesday, Aug. 19.
The 24-hour commercial coho fishery that began on Monday, Aug. 17, meanwhile delivered some 19,000 silvers, compared to an anticipated 23,000 fish.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists said that for the week ending on Aug. 15 the Copper River Delta survey count was 4,150 cohos versus an anticipated range of 5,846 to 12,239 fish. The next aerial survey was scheduled to be flown prior to Saturday, Aug. 22.
The overall preliminary ADF&G harvest report showed the cumulative Prince William Sound commercial harvest as of Aug. 19 stood at 23.3 million salmon, including those 20.3 million humpies, nearly 2 million chum, 933,000 sockeye, 27,000 coho and 4,000 Chinook salmon.
The cumulative 2020 statewide salmon harvest was expected to exceed 100 million fish this week, said Garrett Evridge, of the McDowell Group, who produces the weekly in-season salmon reports on behalf of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
The improved pink salmon harvest contrasted with continued weakness in keta and coho landings, Evridge said.
Some 370,000 sockeye were harvested last week, with Kodiak producing roughly half of that total. Another 100,000 sockeye came from the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands region, and there was more production from Southeast Alaska, Bristol Bay, Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound.
Nearly 49 humpies were harvested statewide through Aug. 19, 30 percent and 37 percent respectively ahead of 2018 and 2016. Last week’s statewide harvest of over 12 million pinks was the strongest weekly harvest of the season for that species, Evridge said.
Prince William Sound has contributed about 43 percent of the statewide total, with landings nearly identical to 2018. Kodiak topped its preseason harvest projection by about 4 million fish, with year-to-date production of nearly 16 million pinks.
Harvests in the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands and Cook Inlet are ahead of 2018 and longer-term averages. Southeast Alaska’s humpy catch meanwhile is down by 31 percent from 2018 and well below historical levels.
Average weight of the pinks this year for most major harvest areas is consistent with the 10-year average, the fish from the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands being the exception. They are averaging 2.75 pounds, compared to the 10-year average of 3.13 pounds.
Year-to-date harvest of keta salmon continues to lag y more than 10 million fish below the five-year average.
Keta harvests in all areas are down from 2019 and the five-year average, Evridge said.
Coho landings meanwhile are 51 percent below 2019 and 63 percent lower than the five-year average, but historical data indicates peak harvests for coos is late August/early September, so there is time for harvest improvements. Chinook landings are also generally below a year ago, with the exclusion of Southeast Alaska.
Statewide commercial harvest totals through Aug. 19 were approaching 100 million fish, including 48.6 million pink, 44.8 million sockeye, 5.2 million chum, 875,000 coho and 176,000 king salmon.
ADF&G posts preliminary daily updates in season on the commercial salmon harvest at adfg.alaska.gov.
