Districts Affected: Norton Sound, Northern Norton Sound
Commercial salmon fishing will be permitted in the Moses Point Subdistrict for one 48-hour period from 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, September 4. The commercial salmon season will close effective 6 p.m. Friday, September 4.
Commercial catches of coho salmon in the Moses Point Subdistrict continue to be above average this season. A total of 9,041 coho salmon have been harvested commercially in the Moses Point Subdistrict this season which is 52% above the previous record catch of 5,959 cohos harvested in 1984. Most recently, the 899 coho salmon caught by 11 permit holders during the 48-hour period ending Saturday, August 29 was above average for late August. Additionally, a late surge of coho salmon have shown up at the Kwiniuk River tower which is used to evaluate coho salmon escapements in the Moses Point Subdistrict. Through August 31, cumulative coho salmon passage at the Kwiniuk River tower is 7,567 cohos, and the final projected escapement is expected to range between 9,000-11,000 cohos. Over 1,500 coho salmon have been enumerated since August 25 and strong southerly storm weather is pushing more cohos up river.
The Subdistrict 3 commercial salmon fishing season expired via regulation August 31. The department was planning to schedule a 48-hour period beginning Monday August 30. However, this period was never scheduled because of the forecasted gale-force winds and seven-foot seas that began hitting Norton Sound on Sunday. Late August above average coho salmon escapements and commercial catches indicate that abundance is sufficient to warrant additional harvest. There are coho salmon surpluses available for commercial harvest and the buyer has requested additional fishing opportunity in this subdistrict.
