Southeast Alaska trollers will target about 83,900 treaty kings during the first Chinook salmon fishery of the summer commercial troll season.
The opener is set 12:01 a.m. July 1.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, under provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty and regulations established by the Alaska Board of Fisheries, has set commercial troll Chinook salmon allocation for the Oct. 11, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020, at 148,500 treaty kings.
The department estimates that 119,800 Chinook remain to be harvested in the summer fishery, with the initial retention period to be managed to harvest 70 percent of the remaining allocation.
Numbers are up from last year.
Based on harvest rates in previous years and in both commercial troll and recreational fisheries this spring, the department estimates the harvest target will be taken in seven to eight days.
The remainder of the troll treaty Chinook salmon allocation will be available for harvest in a second fishing period following any closure of the coho salmon troll fishery, or no later than Aug. 20, if a coho closure is not necessary, the department said.
Trollers are being encouraged to contact the troll fishery managers during the retention period to report catch and effort information via phone, 747-6688, voicemail available after hours, or email (grant.hagerman@alaska.gov or mike.vaughn@alaska.gov).
The fishery closure will be announced by ADF&G advisory announcement, U.S. Coast Guard and National Weather Service marine information broadcasts and the ADF&G troll fishery telephone hotline.