Updated Cook Inlet harvest data

For fishermen debating the impact of commercial fishing on Cook Inlet salmon runs, from the Kenai to the MatSu Valley, this updated report on commercial harvest from ADF&G is helpful:

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyareauci.salmon_harvest

This includes a breakdown by species–sockeye are the vast majority of this approximately 1.1 million salmon, but there are also almost 100,000 silvers harvested.  Most of these fish are being caught by the inlet drift net fleet, not setnetters.

It should be noted that the commercial fleet is also claiming a terrible season, for both setnet and drift fishermen, with a dramatically lower sockeye run than had been forecast or than in previous years.  The debate among all parties remains how managing a lower number of fish should be allocated among fishing groups, while also not forgetting what’s needed to sustain the fishery and salmon runs for future years.