Salmon runs in the Prince William Sound (PWS) area will be average or below average in 2018, according to the latest forecast from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
While approximately 391,000 chum are expected to be available for harvest, which is almost 84 percent above the recent 10-year average (2008-2017) for PWS, the pink harvest run estimate is 2,020,000 fish, which is more than 20 percent below the 10-year average of 2,548,000.
Copper River’s 2018 chinook salmon run is estimated at 43,000, which is 4.4 percent below the 10-year average run of 45,000 fish, while the sockeye run is forecast at more than1.7 million, which would be 16.5 percent shy of the average. The Gulkana Hatchery is expected to add about 148,000 sockeye to the latter, leading to a total run of almost 1.9 million fish.
ADF&G also estimates Coghill Lake’s total sockeye salmon run at 183,000 for the 2018 season, which would be 22 percent above the 10-year average.
