Pink Salmon Sex Ratios
Southeast Alaska & Yakutat Commercial Fisheries

The ratio of male to female pink salmon in purse seine harvests can be a useful indicator of run-timing, and sex ratios from key districts are used to improve inseason forecasts of the pink salmon harvest. Male pink salmon are typically more common than females during the early part of the run, often composing 70% or more of the population-over time, the proportion of males gradually decreases, sometimes to as little as 30% near the end of the run; The run is considered to be near the mid-point when the sex ratio is 50% males.

Proportions of male pink salmon are estimated from a sample of 300 fish taken from available purse seine catches from each opening in each fishing district. Sex ratio samples are taken only from purse seine landings, as gillnet and troll skippers do not target pink salmon, and are more likely to select for larger or smaller fish depending on the gear used. Purse seine fisheries target pink salmon, and purse seine gear is not size selective.

Pink salmon sex ratio data will be updated on this web page, by fishing district, through the commercial fishing season. If you have specific requests for information, please contact Andy Piston or Teresa Fish at (907) 225-9677, or via email at andrew.piston@alaska.gov or teresa.fish@alaska.gov.

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