Forecast calls for a 16% increase for AK fishermen
Alaska salmon fishermen can expect a more bountiful harvest this year if preseason forecasts come in as called.
State managers are predicting a total 2023 Alaska commercial salmon catch of nearly 190 million fish, a 16% increase from the 163 million taken last year.
That’s according to the report just released by the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game titled “Run Forecasts and Harvest Projections for 2023 Alaska Salmon Fisheries and Review of the 2022 Season.”
Alaska’s total commercial salmon catch for 2023 is expected to include 78,000 Chinook salmon, just over 48 million sockeyes, under three million cohos, 16 million chum salmon and more than 122 million pinks.
Compared to 2022 harvests, that adds up to nearly 53 million more pink salmon, 27 million fewer sockeyes, one million more cohos, and 24,000 more chums for Alaska fishermen.
The report, edited by ADF&G’s Sabrina Donnellan and Andrew Munro, provides forecast and harvest details for every Alaska salmon fishing region.
The exvessel, or dockside, value of Alaska’s 2022 salmon fishery topped $720 million.
Average salmon prices paid to fishermen in 2022 were $5.58 per pound for Chinook; $1.25 for sockeyes, $1.57 for cohos ; $0.42 for pinks and $1.08 for chum salmon.
