(Anchorage) – Under the management provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty (treaty), the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced last week that the preseason all-gear catch limit for Southeast Alaska (SEAK) is 211,400 treaty Chinook salmon for 2024. The ADF&G target will be 207,150 Chinook salmon. This year’s target includes a 2% reduction from the treaty catch limit that will serve as a buffer to avoid exceeding the all-gear limit and payback provisions of the treaty.

The all-gear catch limit for SEAK is based on measures of Chinook salmon abundance using the abundance index output from the Pacific Salmon Commission Chinook model. Use of this model for setting the SEAK catch limit is required per decisions made by the Pacific Salmon Commission in January 2024 in accordance with Chapter 3 of the treaty.

The SEAK Chinook salmon all-gear catch limit is distributed among commercial and sport fisheries under management plans specified by the Alaska Board of Fisheries as follows:

Sector and 2024 Chinook Salmon Target

• Commercial purse seine (4.3% of all-gear) 8,900
• Commercial drift gillnet (2.9% of all-gear) 6,000
• Commercial set gillnet (1,000) 1,000
• Commercial troll (80% after net gear subtracted) 153,000
• Sport (20% after net gear subtracted) 38,250
• Total catch target 207,150

The preseason outlook is for continued poor production of SEAK Chinook salmon stocks, including seven stocks (Chilkat, Taku, King Salmon, Stikine, Unuk and Chickamin Rivers and Andrew Creek) as Stocks of Management Concern. Although the Chilkat, Taku, Unuk stocks are projected to meet their escapement goals given no or little harvest occurring, run forecasts are still well below long-term average production. This will necessitate a management regime aimed at minimizing catches of these stocks in accordance with Board adopted action plans.

Related Division of Sport Fish Advisory Announcements:

• https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm?ADFG=area.R1&Year=2024 Related Division of Commercial Fisheries Advisory Announcements:

• https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyareasoutheast.salmon

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