A revised preliminary salmon season summary for Prince William Sound was issued on Friday, Oct. 13, by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), to correct an error in the Eshamy District included in an earlier summary.
The overall commercial and hatchery cost recovery salmon harvest was 65.34 million fish, composed of 11,300 Chinook, 1.94 million sockeye, 168,000 coho, 58.09 million pink, and 5.13 million chum salmon.
A total of 51.97 million, or 80%, of the harvest was commercial, and 13.37 million, or 20%, was hatchery cost recovery and broodstock.
The estimated value of the harvest, commercial and hatchery cost recovery was approximately $84.58 million and 21% less than the 10-year average of $106.66 million.
During the 2023 season, 444 drift gillnet, 23 set gillnet, and 213 purse seine commercial permit holders fished at least one fishing period.
The drift gillnet ex-vessel harvest value was estimated at $27.56 million, with average permit earnings of $62,100, compared to a 10-year average of $70,700. The set gillnet ex-vessel harvest value was an estimated $1.48 million, with average permit earnings of $64,300, compared to a 10-year average of $72,900. Purse seine ex-vessel harvest values were an estimated $34.18 million, with average permit earnings of $160,500, compared to a 10-year average of $236,400.
Revenue generated for hatchery operations was approximately $21.36 million.
ADFG finfish area management biologists Jeremy Botz and Heather Scannell also noted that ex-vessel values for all gear groups and for hatchery operations were negatively impacted by the statewide collapse in salmon markets.
ADFG did not issue a 2023 Eshamy Lake sockeye salmon total run forecast due to limited escapement monitoring in recent years. The Eshamy River weir passed 11,194 sockeye salmon, which was below the sustainable escapement goal (SEG) range of 13,000-28,000 fish, the report said.
The total sockeye salmon harvest for the Sound attributed to Main Bay Hatchery was 759,000 below forecast. The Eshamy District commercial harvest of 505,000 sockeyes was 14% wild fish. Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation fishermen harvested 227,000 sockeyes for cost recovery and broodstock.
The Eshamy District commercial harvest of 117,000 chum and 115,000 pink salmon were 7% and 0% wild fish, respectively.
