Pink Salmon Harvest Should Be Similar to 2011, ’12

Jay Barrett/KMXT
We’ve talked a lot about the excellent sockeye salmon run since the season started just over a week ago – but while the reds are running strong, the pinks are the real money fish in these parts. So what’s their outlook?
“The pink salmon forecast overall, is about 17-milllion,” said James Jackson, the Fish and Game salmon management biologist in Kodiak.
“It’s a below average wild stock forecast, because if you remember the winter before last, it was pretty harsh – it was dry and cold and that’s never very good for salmon eggs.”
Though this summer’s humpy forecast is below average, Jackson said the harvest the last two years was about 16-million, and this year’s should be a little better:
“We have a really good hatchery forecast this year. I believe the hatchery forecast is about 10.5-million. So if we catch 17 (million) I’d say we’d be right in line with what we have been doing the past few years.”