ADF&G Fish Report: Chum runs are weak

Norton Sound Salmon

Chum salmon runs have been weak throughout Norton Sound and pink salmon look to be on track from a normal odd-numbered year run and not like the last two odd-numbered year’s record runs. Sockeye passage has been slow at Pilgrim River weir as the run is at the average historical midpoint. Weights for chum, sockeye and silvers in the commercial catches have been much lower than average. Commercial fishing for pinks will continue this week based on buyer capacity.

Unalakleet Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Cumulative catch is 1 king, 256 chums, 55,000 pinks, 30 sockeyes and 8 silvers caught by 25 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Net fishing is open 7 days a week with all kings required to be released when beach seining.

Unalakleet River Floating Weir – Cooperative project; Fish & Game, United States BLM and NSEDC. Major funding provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Subsistence Management.

Counts through July 19 the counts were 440 kings, 11,700 chums, 70,000 pinks, 665 sockeyes and 270 silvers. The average historical 90 percent point of king passage is July 21. This is the lowest chum count in 11 years of the project. Previous lows were 28,000 chums in 2012 and 31,000 in 2019. The average historical third quarter point for chums is July 24.

North River Tower – Camp J.B. Escapement goals: King 1,2002,600; Chum-No goal established; Pink 25,000; Silver 550-1,100 (aerial survey goal) – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 were 500 kings, 600 chums, 140,000 pinks, 3 sockeyes and 84 silvers. Average historical third midpoint for kings is now. The chum count is a historical low and the average historical third quarter point is July 26. Last year was the second lowest chum count by this date with 700 chums. The pink average historical midpoint in July 22.

Shaktoolik Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Cumulative catch is 166 chums, 31,000 pinks, 16 sockeyes and 9 silvers caught by 11 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Net fishing is open 7 days a week with all kings required to be released when beach seining.

Shaktoolik Tower – No escapement goals yet established – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 were 900 kings, 6,000 chums, 210,000 pinks, 63 sockeyes and 12 silvers. The king count ranks fifth out of eight years of counts. King passage is usually past 90 percent now. Chums are about the same as last year and well below other years. Pinks should be near the midpoint now.

Norton Bay Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Cumulative catch is 18 chums and 5,000 pinks by 3 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Net fishing is open 7 days a week.

Inglutalik River Tower – Cooperative project; NSEDC with assistance from Fish & Game.

Counts through July 19 counts were 237 kings, 2,000 chums, 110,000 pinks and 15 sockeyes. Except for kings and pinks the other salmon species are tracking below all other years.

Ungalik River Tower – No escapement goals yet established – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 were 290 kings, 8,500 chums, 300,000 pinks and 1,850 sockeyes. No comparisons can be made because the two previous years the earliest counting began was July 9.

Elim Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Cumulative catch is 196 chums, 2,577 pinks, 8 sockeyes and 2 silvers by 5 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Open 7 days a week.

Kwiniuk River Tower – Camp

Joel - Escapement goals: King 250; Chum 9,100 – 32,600; Pink 8,400; Silver 650-1,300 (aerial survey goal). Fish & Game project.

Counts through July 19 were 156 kings, 2,700 chums, 16,000 pinks, 36 sockeyes and 18 silvers. Kings are usually at 90 percent of passage by July 22. Chums are usually at 90 percent of passage by July 20. Pinks are tracking like a normal odd-numbered year and much lower than the recent record year runs. The average historical midpoint of pink passage is July 23.

Golovin Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Cumulative catch is 2,062 chums, 5,200 pinks, 63 sockeyes and 2 silvers by 5 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Open 7 days a week.

Fish River Tower – No escapement goals yet established – Cooperative project; NSEDC with assistance from Fish & Game.

High water has prevented tower operations to date.

Nome Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: No upcoming fishing periods.

Subsistence Fishing: Net fishing schedule in all freshwater subsistence areas and the marine waters west of Cape Nome is open from 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Monday. East of Cape Nome the marine waters are open 7 days a week.

Eldorado River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 4,400 – 14,200 – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 were 12 kings, 3,400 chums, 2,100 pinks and 36 sockeyes. The average historical third quarter point for chums past the weir is July 21 and the average midpoint for pinks is July 22.

Nome River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 1,600 – 5,300; Pink 3,200 – Fish & Game project.

Counts through July 19 were 80 chums, 1,200 pinks and 6 sockeyes. Chum count is one of the lowest and the average midpoint of chum passage is July 22. Pinks are tracking like a normal odd-numbered year and much lower than the recent year’s record runs. The average first quarter point for pinks is July 21.

Snake River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 2,000 – 4,200 – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 were 1 king, 175 chums, 1,800 pinks and 45 sockeyes. Chum counts are less than half of last year’s count and the average midpoint is July 21. Pinks are tracking much lower than the recent year’s record runs the average midpoint is July 25.

Solomon River Weir – No escapement goals yet established – Fish &

Game project.

Counts through July 19 were 3 kings, 73 chums, 2,600 pinks and 4 silvers. Chum counts are the lowest for this date and the average midpoint is July 21. Pink counts are much lower than the record runs and the average midpoint is late July.

Port Clarence District

Subsistence fishing is open 7 days a week, but the department is closely watching the Pilgrim River. If weir counts improve subsistence net fishing will remain open with the season catch limit remaining at 25 sockeyes. If weir counts start to decrease the department will close the Pilgrim River to subsistence net fishing.

Pilgrim River Floating Weir: Escapement goal: Sockeye 6,800 – 36,000 – NSEDC project.

Counts through July 19 the cumulative counts were 7 kings, 580 chums, 150 pinks, 2,650 sockeyes and 3 silvers. Sockeye average historical midpoint is July 21.

Cumulative catch is 5,600 chums by 20 permit holders. The run has been below average.

Kobuk River Test Fish - Fish & Game project.

The test fish catches for four days of fishing are 15 chums and 71 sheefish and the chum catch is tracking like last year.