With just over one week of harvesting in the books, the Yukon keta, chum, salmon run is going strong and is on track to produce 1.3 million fish this season.
Jack Schultheis, general manager of Kwik’pak Fisheries in Emmonak, Alaska, reports that U.S. market demand for Yukon ketas is strong, as are supplies, despite reports to the contrary.
The commercial keta fishery on the lower Yukon is going into its seventh opening with close to 100,000 fish landed so far. During the initial three-hour opening last Monday, more than 10,000 fish were harvested.
Openings are set by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) and are determined by run strength based on sonar reports and test fishing projects. ADF&G, which has been closely monitoring the chinook, or king, salmon run on the Yukon, expects the fishery to continue for two more weeks.
According to ADF&G, Alaska fishermen hauled in 123,000 kings, 22.7 million sockeye, 30,000 cohos, 2.8 million pinks and 4.6 million ketas as of 6 July.
