By Sentinel Staff
Herring spawn turned the intertidal waters around Halibut Point aquamarine blue and frothy Monday afternoon in the season’s first large spawning event on the beaches lining the Sitka road system.
Spawn also continued across the northern parts of Sitka Sound on the southern shore of Krestof Island and eastern side of Kruzof Island. Spawning was also occurring at Crow Pass on Middle and Crow islands, the Department of Fish and Game announced.
The most recent opening in the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery was on Saturday, when the day’s catch was about 1,100 tons, Fish and Game said. Test fishing on Monday at Redoubt Bay netted fish with 11.8 percent mature roe, and another test set near Calming Island pulled in fish with 8.4 percent mature roe, the agency said.
Fish and Game said the season’s commercial catch to date is 4,200 tons out of a guideline harvest level of 30,124 tons.
The agency said it plans to survey the Sitka Sound herring stocks again today.
