Alaska Salmon Harvest Falls Short

So far this summer Alaska's wild salmon harvests have fallen short of projections, but despite the declines, Alaska fisheries officials contend the state's wild salmon fisheries are healthy.

The overall harvest through Aug. 1 is estimated at 72.8 million fish, below the forecasted 132.5 million fish. The Bristol Bay sockeye harvest was more than 27 million. However, the statewide pink salmon harvest was shy of 23 million fish, far below the 61.5 million pinks forecasted.

Fisheries officials are optimistic the six weeks left in the season will make up for some of the low returns. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates harvests through Aug. 1 of 264,000 kings, 36.3 million sockeye, 747,000 coho, 22.9 million pinks and 12.6 million chum salmon.

That compared with 463,211 chinook, 43.1 million reds, 850,248 coho, 36.6 million pink and 12.9 million chum for the same period in 2007.

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