“Excellent” predictions for sockeye; “strong” for pinks and chums
Alaska fishery managers this week released the 2025 predictions for salmon returns to the Copper River and Price William Sound regions, calling the runs “excellent” or “strong” for all salmon species except for Chinook.
At Copper River, the Chinook salmon total run forecast point estimate is “Weak” at 36,000 fish. This is 25% below the recent 10-year average total run of 48,000 fish.
For sockeye salmon, the 2025 Copper River total point estimate of wild plus hatchery production is “Excellent” at 2,638,000 fish,
That would produce a commercial harvest of 1,920,000 fish sockeye salmon.
“Strong” predictions for PWS pinks and chums
The 2025 PWS wild pink salmon total run forecast point estimate is “Strong” at 18,626,000 fish, which is 8% above the recent 10-odd-year average (2005–2023). That results in a harvest estimate of 16,788,000 humpies.
For chum salmon, the wild total run forecast also is “Strong” at 613,000 fish, 18% above the 10-year average of 520,000 fish. That provides for a
a harvest point estimate of 443,000 chums.
Along with the estimates of wild salmon runs, the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Association and the Valdez Fisheries Development Association will issue their forecasted returns in early March.
