Districts Affected: Kuskokwim Bay
This is an announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Bethel for Kuskokwim Area commercial salmon fishermen.
District 4, Quinhagak, will open to commercial salmon fishing for 12 hours from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2009.
Preliminary verbal reports from the commercial period on August 14 in District 4 indicate a harvest of 8 Chinook, 131 sockeye, 146 chum, and 5,973 coho salmon from approximately 74 permit holders. Cumulative harvests through August 14 are 13,979 Chinook, 112,467 sockeye, 91,129 chum, and 32,239 coho salmon . The coho salmon harvest was average and the catch rate was slightly below average for the August 14 period. The Kanektok River weir ceased operations on August 11. Cumulative counts through August 11 were 6,837 Chinook, 278,483 sockeye, 48,895 chum, and 2,336 coho salmon. Current coho salmon abundance in District 4 warrants commercial salmon fishing on Monday, August 17.
The Department will closely monitor harvest and catch rates from the upcoming commercial period and make further announcements regarding additional commercial fishing periods at that time.
For additional information or questions regarding Districts 4 fisheries, contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in the Bethel at 543-2433.
