TEEMING WITH FISH— 430,000 pinks made it through the Nome River weir as of Monday, July 25.

Norton Sound and Kotzebue fish report - End of July

The commercial summer red king crab fishery was scheduled to close at 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 20. However, nearly half of the fleet were unable to get out because of rough ocean conditions particularly east of Nome with most boats taking shelter in Golovnin Bay on the evening of Tuesday, July 19. There was a request from the buyer and boat captains to extend the closing date to allow one last pot pick for those who were unable to get to their pots. On the morning of July 20 the department did extend the closure by one day after the summer season’s crab harvest was going to fall more than 50,000 pounds below the guideline harvest level (GHL). The weather did lay down enough later on Wednesday for the crabbers previously unable to reach the gear to get out to their pots. The summer commercial fishery harvest was 416,576 pounds. Adding in the CDQ (38,790 pounds) and the winter harvest (44,779 pounds) the total 2016 crab harvest was 500,145 pounds, or 96.7 percent of the total GHL of 517,200 pounds. The total 2016 harvest was the first year the harvest was over 500,000 pounds in 35 years and was a record in the small boat fishery era. Other records for the small boat crab fishery were the shortest summer season at 25 days and a record price of $6.50 per pound. Congratulations to Norton Sound crabbers, the buyer and crews on the boats and at the plant.

 

Salmon

High water has knocked out four escapement-counting projects in southern Norton Sound. Pinks just won’t stop and continue to be the majority of the catch in all subdistricts. The second wave of pinks are hitting escapement projects in northern Norton Sound after a short lull in passage during the stormy weather last week. Silvers are starting to show up in fishermen’s nets and the buyer requested 48-hour fishing periods this week. The department forecast for silvers is an above average run, but early season catches are below average. Silvers are predominately 4-year old fish and noting that the 4-year old chum salmon did not fare well this year may be an indication that the cold winter of 2012-13 affected egg survival and the silver run may not be as good as forecast.

 

Unalakleet Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer.

Commercial catch this season is 130 sockeyes, 7,200 chums, 73,000 pinks and 300 silvers by 40 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing:  Open seven days a week. Beach seines restricted to 4 ½ inch or less mesh size. Any king salmon captured in beach seines must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Through August 1, commercial fishermen may take salmon for subsistence purposes seven days per week in the Unalakleet River drainage with gillnets restricted to 4 ½ inches or less mesh size and beach seines.

Sport Fishing: Through August 15 the Unalakleet River drainage is closed to king salmon fishing and the use of bait is prohibited.

 

Unalakleet River Floating Weir – No escapement goals yet established – Cooperative project; Fish & Game, Native Village of Unalakleet, United States BLM and NSEDC. Major funding provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Subsistence Management.

Counts were suspended on July 22 because of high water. Cumulative counts through July 21 were 505 kings, 574 sockeyes, 32,000 chums, 4.9 million pinks and 142 silvers.  

North River Tower – Camp J.B. - Escapement goals: King 1,200-2,600; Chum-No goal established; Pink 25,000; Silver 550-1,100 (aerial survey goal) – Cooperative project;  NSEDC with assistance from Fish & Game.

Counts were suspended on July 20 because of high water. Cumulative counts through July 19 were 510 kings, 9 sockeyes, 16,000 chums and 1 million pinks.

 

Shaktoolik Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing:  Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer.

Commercial catch this season is 140 sockeyes, 7,500 chums, 17,000 pinks and 75 silver by 17 permit holders..

Subsistence Fishing: Open seven days a week. Beach seines restricted to 4 ½ inches or less mesh size. Any king salmon captured in beach seines must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. Through August 1, commercial fishermen may take salmon for subsistence purposes seven days per week in the Shaktoolik River drainage with gillnets restricted to 4 ½ inches or less mesh size and beach seines.

Sport Fishing: Through August 15 the Shaktoolik River drainage is closed to king salmon fishing and the use of bait is prohibited.

 

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

Tower counts were suspended on July 18 because of high water. The sonar is now operating. Cumulative counts until late afternoon July 18 were 350 kings, 14,800 chums, 1.2 million pinks and 500 silvers.

 

Norton Bay Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer.  

Commercial catch this season is 75 kings, 65 sockeyes, 8,000 chums, 17,000 pinks and 50 silvers by 12 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Open seven days a week.

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

Counting was suspended on July 18 when water levels rose 5 feet. Cumulative counts through July 17 were 3,200 kings, 42,000 chums, 77,000 pinks and 700 silvers.

 

Elim Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer.   

Commercial catch this season is 40 kings, 325 sockeyes, 5,400 chums, 30,000 pinks and 80 silvers by 20 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Open seven days a week.

Kwiniuk River Tower – Camp Joel - Escapement goals: King 250; Chum 11,500 – 23,000; Pink 8,400; Silver 650-1,300 (aerial survey goal). Fish & Game project with assistance from NSEDC.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 126 kings, 9 sockeyes, 8,300 chums, 1.6 million pinks and 39 silvers. Both the kings and chums failed to reach the escapement goals. Pink escapement now rank third highest in the 52-year project history, only trailing escapements of 2.3 million pinks in 1994 and 3 million in 2004.  

 

Golovin Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer.   

Commercial catch this season is 10 kings, 125 sockeyes, 5,000 chums, 12,400 pinks and 5 silvers by 8 permit holders.

Subsistence Fishing: Open seven days a week.

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

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 822 kings, 24 sockeyes, 68,000 chums, 822,000 pinks and 2,000 silvers. This is the third year of the project. The silver count is well ahead of last year’s count for this date.   

 

Nome Subdistrict

Commercial Fishing: Fishing periods are being set in consultation with the buyer. The most recent fishing period was a 48-hour fishing period last weekend.  

Subsistence Fishing: Open seven days a week until August 1. Beach seines, cast nets and dip nets can only be used in the subsistence fishing areas listed on the back of the Nome Subdistrict subsistence salmon permit. All chum salmon escapement goals have been reached and a record 539 Nome Subdistrict subsistence salmon permits have been issued.

Sport Fishing: The pink salmon catch limit for the Nome River has been doubled to 20 fish per day.   

Eldorado River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 6,000 – 9,200 – Cooperative project; NSEDC with assistance from Fish & Game.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 14 sockeyes, 16,200 chums, and 14,300 pinks. The chum count ranks sixth highest in the last 10 years. The historical average 90% point of chum passage is July 23. The pinks have chosen other rivers as the 2016 count is the lowest all time for an even-numbered year.

Nome River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 2,900 – 4,300; Pink 13,000 – Fish & Game project with assistance from NSEDC.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 2 kings, 63 sockeyes, 4,600 chums, 430,000 pinks and 39 silvers. For this date the chum count is the second highest in the 24-year project history. The pink passage ranks fourth highest and will finish at least third highest. The historical average third quarter point of passage for pinks is July 26 and for chums is July 31.

Snake River Weir - Escapement goal: Chum 1,600 – 2,500 – A cooperative project between Fish & Game and NSEDC.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 4 kings, 15 sockeyes, 2,500 chums, 82,000 pinks and 3 silvers. The chum count is slowing and for this date chum passage is the tenth highest in 20 years and pinks fourth highest. The historical average third quarter point for pinks is July 27 and for chums is July 29.

Solomon River Weir – No escapement goals yet established – Fish & Game project.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 1,460 chums, 65,000 pinks and 6 silvers. This is the highest chum passage for this date in the four-year project history and pink passage is a record. The historical average third quarter point of chum passage is August 1.

 

Port Clarence District

Subsistence gillnet and beach seining is open seven days a week and sockeye salmon limits have been waived.

A record 471 Pilgrim River permits have been issued surpassing last year’s record of 377 permits issued.

Pilgrim River Floating Weir - Escapement goal (aerial survey at Salmon Lake & Grand Central tributary to Salmon Lake): Sockeye 4,000 – 8,000 –Cooperative project; NSEDC with assistance from Fish & Game.

Cumulative counts through July 24 were 26 kings, 10,100 sockeyes, 11,300 chums and 1,800 pinks. The sockeye passage for this date ranks ninth highest in 14 years of weir counts. The historical average third quarter point of sockeye passage is July 26 and last year’s third quarter point was July 29. Chum salmon run later and historical average midpoint is August 1.

Kotzebue

Commercial fishing started on July 10. Catch for the first two weeks of fishing was 61,000 chum salmon. Catch has been down about one-third compared to last year and the number of permit holders fishing has been down about one-third. Daily 8-hour fishing periods are scheduled with no fishing on Saturday. The buyer may have to reduce fishing time or cancel fishing periods depending on high harvests and limited plane capacity. The next two weeks are usually the peak weeks of harvest.

Kobuk River Test Fish - Fish & Game project.

The crew started fishing on July 20. Catches have been below average compared to the last several years. However, the three previous years had the three highest years of catches in the 24-year project history. The catch index projection from the first few days of test fishing indicates the chum salmon run will be adequate to provide for subsistence needs and escapement.

The Nome Nugget

PO Box 610
Nome, Alaska 99762
USA

Phone: (907) 443-5235
Fax: (907) 443-5112

www.nomenugget.net

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