ADF&G Announces 2018 Southeast Alaska Chinook Salmon All Gear Harvest Limit
- ADF&G Press Release
Sam Cotten, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811-5526
Press Release: April 3, 2018
CONTACT: Charlie Swanton, Deputy Commissioner, Alaska Pacific Salmon Treaty Commissioner
(907) 465-4115, charles.swanton@alaska.gov
ADF&G Announces 2018 Southeast Alaska Chinook Salmon All Gear Harvest Limit
April 3, 2018, JUNEAU — Under provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announces that the 2018 preseason Chinook salmon all-gear harvest limit for Southeast Alaska is 130,000 "treaty fish". This year's all-gear harvest limit is nearly 80,000 fish lower than the preseason limit available in 2017 and includes a 10% reduction in response to conservation needs for Southeast Alaska (SEAK), Transboundary River, and Northern British Columbia Chinook salmon stocks. More information about the basis for 2018 Chinook salmon conservation measures in SEAK is publicly available on the ADF&G website (link provided below).
The all-gear harvest limit for SEAK is determined by the Chinook Technical Committee of the Pacific Salmon Commission and is based on the forecast of an aggregate abundance of Pacific Coast Chinook salmon stocks (Alaska, British Columbia (B.C.), Washington, and Oregon) subject to management under the Pacific Salmon Treaty.
The SEAK Chinook salmon all-gear harvest limit is allocated among sport, commercial troll, and commercial net fisheries under management plans specified by the Alaska Board of Fisheries as follows:
| Fishery | Allocation |
|---|---|
| Set gillnet (1,000) | 1,000 |
| Purse seine (4.3% of all-gear) | 5,600 |
| Drift gillnet (2.9% of all-gear) | 3,800 |
| Troll (80% after net gear subtracted) | 95,700 |
| Sport (20% after net gear subtracted) | 23,900 |
| Total all-gear harvest limit | 130,000 |
The SEAK, Transboundary River, and Northern B.C. Chinook salmon stocks are experiencing unprecedented levels of poor production; record low runs were observed for many of these stocks in 2017. Forecasts indicate continued poor levels of production in 2018. In an effort to bolster spawning escapements, Alaska and Canada are coordinating fisheries management per treaty obligations to minimize harvest of these depressed Chinook salmon stocks.
Information on allocations and regulations that will be in place for the 2018 season can be found in news releases from the ADF&G Division of Sport Fish and Division of Commercial Fisheries (links below).
Related Division of Sport Fish News Release:
Related Division of Commercial Fisheries News Releases:
- Southeast Alaska Troll Chinook Salmon Harvest Allocation and Chinook Salmon Management Restrictions (PDF 132 kB)
- Southeast Alaska Purse Seine and Drift Gillnet Chinook Salmon Fisheries Management Restrictions (PDF 132 kB)
Supporting Document: