The catch is going down with each passing day. Last Thursday, commercial fishermen harvested 8,300 sockeye salmon, which is less than one percent of the 890,000 total harvested this year. It is told that if the number of sockeye caught Monday equal less than one percent of the total harvest again then commercial fishing for the east side will be closed for the season.
It is informed that the closure would happen due to an Alaska Department of Fish and Game internal rule. Pat Shields, Fish and Game’s assistant manager of upper Cook Inlet commercial fisheries, opined that the rule states the season ends if setnet fisheries catch less than one percent of the total harvest for two consecutive fishing periods.
It is told that if the requirement is met to shut down east side setnetters, driftnetters are then restricted to areas 3 and 4, located on the west side of the inlet. Shields also said that if one catch less than one percent of the sockeye salmon, than the fishery needs to be restricted or closed.
It is observed that the department will make its Kenai River escapement goal of 650,000 to 850,000 sockeye. Shields explained that Fish and Game should be in the middle of its goal. Through Monday, Kenai’s total escapement was 732,000. The department will likely just miss the high end of its optimum escapement goal of 300,000 sockeye for Kasilof River.
