Districts Affected: Norton Sound, Unalakleet, Southern Norton Sound
Commercial salmon fishing will be permitted in the Norton Bay, Shaktoolik, and Unalakleet Subdistricts. In Subdistricts 5 and 6, the Shaktoolik and Unalakleet Subdistricts, commercial salmon fishing will be permitted for one 48-hour period from 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 to 6 p.m. Friday, July 31. In Subdistrict 4, the Norton Bay Subdistrict, commercial salmon fishing will be allowed for two 48-hour periods from noon Tuesday, July 28 to noon Thursday, July 30, and from noon Friday, July 31 to noon Sunday, August 2. Permit holders in Subdistricts 4-6 are restricted to 100 fathoms of net in aggregate length with gillnets that have a mesh size of 6 inches or less.
Norton Sound cumulative commercial catches through Tuesday, July 28 are 17,000 pinks, 21,500 chums, 2,900 silvers, 100 sockeyes, and 55 kings by 28 permit holders. Preliminary catches from the July 26 Subdistricts 5 and 6 opener are 4 sockeyes, 188 pinks, 1,072 silvers and 1,095 chums for 16 permit holders in Unalakleet and 10 fishermen in Shaktoolik caught 9 pinks, 227 silvers, and 212 chums. Strong southerly winds have hampered fishing effort in the Shaktoolik Subdistrict during this period. However, as expected, silver salmon catches have equaled or surpassed chum catches this week. Additionally, since July 25, the Unalakleet River test net is averaging 10 silvers a day despite low water levels and very clear water. The test net has caught 58 silvers as of July 27, which is about ½ the recent 5-year average. However, the recent 5-year average is skewed high as it includes record silver catches from 2006 and 2008. Additionally, this year’s run has later than average timing and the cumulative test fishery catch is above average when compared to the long-term average catch for July 27.
If commercial and test fishery catches of silver salmon continue to improve this week, the department intends to place the Shaktoolik and Unalakleet Subdistricts on the weekly commercial salmon fishing schedule of two 48-hour periods per week sometime next week. 
