Stock Composition Of Sockeye And Chun Salmon Catches In Southern Alaska Peninsula Fisheries In June PDF Download

The primary goal of this study is to use mixed stock analysis to estimate the stock composition of chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta harvested in South Alaska Peninsula Management Area (southern portion of Area M) commercial salmon fisheries during the 2022 to 2026 seasons. Relatively large harvests of chum salmon in South Alaska Peninsula fisheries in recent years corresponding with small returns of chum salmon to Western Alaska rivers has raised concerns among some stakeholders about the stock-specific harvests in South Alaska Peninsula fisheries. Salmon tagging studies published in 1926, 1964, and 1991 and subsequent genetic stock identification projects conducted in 1993-1996 and 2007-2009 demonstrated significant numbers of non-local chum salmon in the June and early July commercial fisheries of the South Alaska Peninsula. Presently, some stakeholders believe that relative abundances among stocks in the fishery have changed since stock-specific chum harvests were last estimated in South Alaska Peninsula harvests as part of the Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Program (WASSIP) in 2007-2009. An updated study that accurately and precisely estimates stock-specific harvests would help resolve these concerns and provide valuable management information regarding the gear- and temporal-specific harvests of chum salmon in select South Peninsula fisheries. This operational plan provides the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) with a sampling and genetic analysis plan to achieve that overall goal.