Sockeye Continue Strong Run as Harvests Begin

Jay Barrett/KMXT
Because of the strong early red salmon return, Fish and Game opened the Kodiak salmon season a little early, with staggered openings Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The first two days saw a harvest of 37,109 sockeye, largely in the Karluk, Northwest Kodiak, and Southwest Afognak district, which saw 24,251 reds, 357 kings, 621 chum and 5 pinks netted.
Cape Igvak and Wide Bay saw a haul of 9,373 reds, 527 chum, 63 pinks and 44 kings.
The Foul Bay Special Harvest Area had 2,703 reds, while the Waterfall Special Harvest Area had 782.
Total chum harvest through Saturday was 1,193, with 401 chinook and 68 pinks caught.
The sockeye escapement in the Kodiak Management Area continues to run higher than most years since 2005. The Chignik River weir has seen 62,985 reds go by through Saturday, while Karluk has passed 109,214 reds and 604 kings. The Ayakulik has had 22, 379 go past, while Dog Salmon Creek saw a surge on Saturday to bring its total to 9,151. Upper Station is just under 15,000 and Litnik, at just under 11, 000 is running ahead of its 10-year average. The Buskin River weir has an escapement through Saturday of 3,382, almost double the same time last year.