Two days after a federal disaster was declared for Gulf of Alaska pink salmon including Prince William Sound, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game released a Copper River forecast on Friday for 2017 that anticipates a king salmon run that would tie 2016 as the smallest since 1980.
According to ADFG, the 2017 chinook, or king, salmon total run forecast of 29,000 is about 34,000 less than the 18-year average total run size of 63,000, and if realized, the 2017 forecast total run would tie with 2016 as the smallest runs since 1980.
The forecast for 29,000 king salmon returning to the Copper River is barely more than the minimum escapement goal of 24,000. After accounting for sport and subsistence harvest, that would allow for a commercial harvest of just 3,500 of the species that kicks off the salmon season amid pomp and circumstance with “first fish” celebrations from Cordova to Seattle.
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