Southeast Alaska & Yakutat location map

Commercial Herring Fisheries
Southeast Alaska & Yakutat

Regulations

Recorded Announcements: For recorded fishery information in Southeast Alaska please see the Southeast Contacts page.

Fishery Advisory Announcements

    There are no announcements for this fishery since January 1, 2023

Management

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Management Plans

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2015

2014

2013

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2011

2010

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Harvest

Data on this page may not be the most recent available and may be subject to periodic change without prior notification. For most recent and complete data, and associated metadata, please contact ADF&G staff directly. Any use of or dissemination of the data on this website must credit ADF&G as the source, with a disclaimer that exonerates the department for errors or deficiencies in reproduction, subsequent analysis, or interpretation.

Sitka Seine Sac Roe

A summary of the Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery, 1979–2019.

Year Forecast Biomass (tons) GHL (tons) Sac Roe Harvest (tons) Roe % Nautical Miles Spawn Spawning Biomass (tons)a Total Mature Biomass (tons)a Exvessel $ Value (millions)
1979 20,300 2,000 2,559 9.3 41.0 - - $5.60
1980 39,500 4,000 4,445 10.8 63.0 44,948 49,393 $2.15
1981 27,000 3,000 3,506 11.0 60.0 42,302 45,808 $2.38
1982 30,000 3,000 4,363 11.7 40.8 29,003 33,374 $3.20
1983 32,850 5,500 5,416 11.1 68.0 36,031 41,481 $5.03
1984 30,504 5,000 5,830 11.1 65.0 44,470 50,300 $3.73
1985 38,500 7,700 7,475 11.3 60.5 34,689 42,164 $7.88
1986 30,948 5,029 5,443 11.9 51.6 27,320 32,763 $7.41
1987 24,750 3,600 4,216 9.9 86.0 45,048 49,264 $4.40
1988 46,050 9,200 9,390 9.5 104.0 56,337 65,912 $4.17
1989 58,500 11,700 11,831 9.4 65.5 32,534 44,669 $1.18
1990 27,200 4,150 3,804 10.6 39.1 23,191 26,995 $7.95
1991 22,750 3,200 1,838 8.9 44.5 30,506 32,414 $0.21
1992 23,450 3,356 5,368 9.4 72.5 47,469 52,837 $1.37
1993 48,500 9,700 10,186 10.7 55.3 25,068 35,254 $3.48
1994 28,439 4,432 4,758 11.0 58.1 17,855 22,742 $3.63
1995 19,688 2,609 2,908 11.8 37.3 28,424 31,402 $3.93
1996 42,264 8,144 8,144 9.6 45.6 31,789 40,038 $14.35
1997 54,476 10,900 11,147 11.5 41.0 35,790 47,044 $4.73
1998 39,213 6,900 6,638 10.2 64.5 49,225 56,011 $1.65
1999 43,602 8,476 9,217 10.7 59.5 49,901 59,323 $4.91
2000 33,365 5,120 4,630 9.9 54.5 50,018 54,638 $2.67
2001 52,985 10,597 11,974 11.3 61.0 54,741 66,801 $5.79
2002 55,209 11,042 9,788 10.9 42.6 58,807 68,743 $4.44
2003 39,319 6,969 7,051 10.7 47.1 83,863 90,819 $3.20
2004 53,088 10,618 10,490 10.8 79.8 104,088 114,705 $5.16
2005 55,962 11,192 11,366 11.5 39.5 85,754 97,274 $6.12
2006 52,059 10,412 9,967 10.5 57.4 73,511 83,580 $2.64
2007 59,519 11,904 11,571 11.4 50.2 70,594 82,357 $5.70
2008 87,715 14,723 14,386 11.5 55.3 85,722 100,282 $8.90
2009 72,521 14,504 14,776 11.8 65.6 102,639 117,514 $12.70
2010 91,467 18,293 17,874 12.5 87.7 96,461 114,424 $12.15
2011 97,449 19,490 19,419 13.3 78.3 88,226 107,765 $3.96
2012 144,143 28,829 13,231 11.8 55.9 63,306 76,615 $8.87
2013 76,988 11,549 5,688 13.0 61.3 68,345 74,131 $4.44
2014 81,663 16,333 16,957 12.4 50.0 54,649 71,726 $3.05
2015 44,237 8,712 8,756 11.8 87.9 55,466 64,322 $2.19
2016 74,707 14,941 9,769 10.7 63.3 64,128 74,183 $2.20
2017 73,245 14,649 13,923 11.4 62.3 48,756 62,819 $4.29
2018 55,637 11,128 2,926 11.2 33.1 52,916 55,926 $1.00
2019 64,343 12,869 - - 55.8 151,775 151,775 -
2020 212,330 25,824 - - 58.5 265,296 265,316 -
2021 210,453 33,304 15,578 11.5 102.3 229,373 245,302 $4.67
2022 225,820 45,164 * * * * * *

a taken from most recent ASA model run available; 2022 not available at this time.
Note - dashes indicate no commercial fishery was conducted and therefore no harvest.
Note - asterisks indicate data is preliminary and not available at this time.

Season Hobart/Houghton Kah Shakes/Cat I. Seymour Canal Other (tons) Total (tons)
GHL
(tons)		 Harvest
(tons)		 Permits GHL
(tons)		 Harvest
(tons)		 Permits GHL Harvest in tons Permits
1976 - - - - 494 76 - - - 283 777
1977 - - - - 776 106 - - - 211 987
1978 - - - - 171 114 - - - 367 538
1979 - - - - 524 90 - - - - 524
1980 - - - - 1,149 112 - - - - 1,149
1981 - - - - 1,871 111 600 615 98 - 2,486
1982 - - - - 2,319 116 - - - - 2,319
1983 - - - - 3,113 122 - - - 33 3,113
1984 - - - - 2,177 126 375 499 101 - 2,676
1985 - - - - 2,159 120 - - - - 2,159
1986 - - - - 1,530 117 300 392 84 - 1,922
1987 - - - - 1,452 117 400 302 88 - 1,754
1988 - - - - 1,145 119 534 586 97 - 1,731
1989 - - - - 595 85 332 541 103 - 1,136
1990 - - - - - - 312 359 70 - 359
1991 - - - - 660 84 - - - - 660
1992 - - - - 1,246 113 - - - - 1,246
1993 - - - - 737 102 - - - - 737
1994 - - - - 730 118 368 374 95 - 1,104
1995 - - - - 610 112 316 319 88 - 929
1996 - - - - 601 121 - - - - 601
1997 450 442 87 - 1,159 112 - - - 28 1,629
1998 258 351 53 - 616 84 633 585 72 - 1,552
1999 443 506 89 - - - 595 706 86 - 1,212
2000 - - - - - - 346 389 43 - 389
2001 - - - - - - 474 620 54 - 620
2002 - - - - - - 1,096 1,066 62 - 1,066
2003 - - - - - - 1,712 1,519 76 - 1,519
2004 - - - - - - 838 804 85 - 804
2005 223 204 48 - - - 894 945 61 - 1,149
2006 - - - - - - 1,508 1,187 39 - 1,187
2007 - - - - - - 1,292 1,219 44 - 1,219
2008 462 306 59 - - - 1,205 1,208 60 - 1,514
2009 341 341 62 - - - 1,471 866 73 - 1,207
2010 345 302 47 - - - 657 710 54 - 1,012
2011 - - - - - - 835 c c - c
2012d - - - - - - 1,287 0 0 - 0
2013 - - - - - - 1,014 649 51 - 649
2014 - - - - - - 772 c c - c
2015 - - - - - - - - - - -
2016 - - - - - - - - - - -
2017 - - - - - - - - - - -
2018 - - - - - - - - - - -
2019 - - - - - - - - - - -
2020 - - - - - - - - - - -

c Confidential data.
d Fishery was not opened

Northern Spawn on Kelp

A historical summary of northern Southeast herring spawn-on-kelp (SOK) fisheries and total regional harvests and values, 1990–2018.

Hoonah Sound

Year Herring GHL (tons) SOK Harvest (tons) Permit Holders Landing Fishery Exvessel Value
1990 150 12 99 $201,348
1991 150 13.6 83 $193,715
1992 150 23.1 108 $453,152
1993 150 14.8 64 $542,080
1994 150 33.3 110 $1,683,396
1995 150 28.7 125 $1,175,460
1996 - - - -
1997 1,421 64.3 125 $920,000
1998 700 85.6 115 $1,000,000
1999 778 93.8 86 $1,005,529
2000 359 36 84 $587,568
2001 366 66.2 87 $1,005,997
2002 1,264 136.6 98 $2,000,000
2003 427 141.6 108 $1,929,286
2004 1,207 236.1 107 $2,071,347
2005 728 181.7 94 $1,117,568
2006 669 162.1 79 $1,943,422
2007 681 159.4 91 $4,491,071
2008 2,238 228.1 101 $5,221,568
2009 2,238 234.7 101 $2,332,514
2010 3,182 290.4 101 $2,580,517
2011 3,015 193.7 89 $1,820,952
2012 2,139 186.5 73 $4,033,078
2013 130 0 0 $–
2014 - - - -
2015 - - - -
2016 - - - -
2017 - - - -
2018 - - - -
2019 - - - -
2020 - - - -

Tenakee Inlet

Year Herring GHL (tons) Herring GHL for SOK SOK Harvest (tons) Permit Holders Landing Fishery Exvessel Value
1990 f f f f f
1991 f f f f f
1992 f f f f f
1993 f f f f f
1994 f f f f f
1995 f f f f f
1996 f f f f f
1997 f f f f f
1998 f f f f f
1999 f f f f f
2000 f f f f f
2001 f f f f f
2002 f f f f f
2003 528 180 47.6 59 $580,500
2004 399 360 98.7 85 $891,000
2005 476 476 93.7 91 $512,900
2006 - - - - -
2007 - - - - -
2008 - - - - -
2009 875 621 64.1 83 $558,900
2010 583 58e 0 - -
2011 - - - - -
2012 - - - - -
2013 - - - - -
2014 501 272 84.4 71 $1,155,300
2015 - - - - -
2016 - - - - -
2017 - - - - -
2018 - - - - -
2019 - - - - -
2020 - - - - -

e At SOK GHL <100 tons, only open pounds allowed
f Tenakee Inlet SOK fishery was established by the Board of Fisheries (BOF) in 2003.

Southeast Alaska

Northern Southeast Alaska (NSEAK) Total SOK

Year SOK Harvest (tons) Fishery Exvessel Value
1990 12 $201,348
1991 13.6 $193,715
1992 23.1 $453,152
1993 14.8 $542,080
1994 33.3 $1,683,396
1995 28.7 $1,175,460
1996 - -
1997 64.3 $920,000
1998 85.6 $1,000,000
1999 93.8 $1,005,529
2000 36 $587,568
2001 66.2 $1,005,997
2002 136.6 $2,000,000
2003 189.2 $2,509,786
2004 334.8 $2,962,347
2005 275.4 $1,630,468
2006 162.1 $1,943,422
2007 159.4 $4,491,071
2008 228.1 $5,221,568
2009 298.8 $2,891,414
2010 290.4 $2,580,517
2011 193.7 $1,820,952
2012 186.5 $4,033,078
2013 0 $0
2014 84.4 -
2015 - -
2016 - -
2017 - -
2018 - -
2019 - -
2020 - -

Southern Spawn on Kelp

Craig – Klawock

Year Herring GHL (tons) Herring GHL for SOK SOK Harvest (tons) Permit Holders Landing Fishery Exvessel Value
1992 2,684 403 25.7 227 $180,000
1993 1,602 240 5.3 21 $47,882
1994 895 135 16.8 84 $364,199
1995 725 109 25.4 146 $1,000,000
1996 658 100 37.6 154 $1,490,000
1997 715 200 21.9 143 $270,306
1998 755 500 23.5 148 $152,203
1999 750 650 36 103 $212,121
2000 626 280 0 0 $0
2001 1,058 914 26.9 51 $146,859
2002 952 852 41.7 89 $218,700
2003 630 528 69.2 118 $423,000
2004 1,754 1,579 49.3 95 $325,000
2005 2,217 1,667 118.2 70 $603,723
2006 1,955 1,266 29 34 $298,575
2007 1,860 1,284 44.5 47 $1,087,532
2008 1,945 1,380 148.5 122 $3,066,788
2009 1,945 1,802 137.3 137 $1,256,777
2010 2,074 1,953 116.7 107 $884,715
2011 1,901 1,084 70 52 $728,147
2012 6,847 6,536 98.2 64 $2,099,002
2013 4,060 3,751 137.7 131 $3,099,002
2014 4,808 g g 138 g
2015 2,263 1,367 g 133 g
2016 1,590 692 g 129 g
2017 872 349 70.0 116 932,917
2018 2,312 1,602 205.3 132 3,262,900
2019 3,906 2,898 202.1 140 3,293,443
2020 11,014 10,119 283.9 147 3,253,494

g Confidential Information

Ernest Sound

Year Herring GHL (tons) Herring GHL for SOK SOK Harvest (tons) Permit Holders Landing Fishery Exvessel Value
1992 h h h h h
1993 h h h h h
1994 h h h h h
1995 h h h h h
1996 h h h h h
1997 h h h h h
1998 h h h h h
1999 h h h h h
2000 h h h h h
2001 h h h h h
2002 h h h h h
2003 h h h h h
2004 875 831 56.1 64 $370,544
2005 - - - - -
2006 - - - - -
2007 - - - - -
2008 1,382 700 9.8 13 $202,395
2009 476 300 2.5 4 $24,423
2010 297 - - - -
2011 613 100-299 0 0 0
2012 272 - - - -
2013 341 100-299 64.6 81 $1,574,307
2014 1,073 700 + i 129 i
2015 - - - - -
2016 - - - - -
2017 - - - - -
2018 - - - - -
2019 - - - - -
2020 - - - - -

h The Ernest Sound SOK fishery was established by the Board of Fisheries (BOF) in 2003. The fishery first took place in 2004.
i Confidential data.

Southern Southeast Alaska Totak SOK

Year SOK Harvest (tons) Fishery Exvessel Value
1992 25.7 $180,000
1993 5.3 $47,882
1994 16.8 $364,199
1995 25.4 $1,000,000
1996 37.6 $1,490,000
1997 21.9 $270,306
1998 23.5 $152,203
1999 36 $212,121
2000 0 $0
2001 26.9 $146,859
2002 41.7 $218,700
2003 69.2 $423,000
2004 105.4 $325,105
2005 118.2 $603,723
2006 29 $298,575
2007 44.5 $1,087,532
2008 158.3 $3,066,946
2009 139.8 $1,256,917
2010 116.7 $884,715
2011 70 $728,147
2012 98.2 $2,099,002
2013 202.3 $3,099,204
2014 j j
2015 j j
2016 j j
2017 70 932,917
2018 205.3 3,262,900
2019 202.1 3,293,443
2020 283.6 3,253,494

j Confidential data.

Forecasts

Maps

Interactive Maps

The department piloted the use of a mobile data collection app during Sitka Sound 2020 herring surveys and regionwide in 2021. For the Southeast Alaska 2022 herring season, data collection apps are again planned to be used regionwide. The interactive maps below allow users to view data collected during herring surveys. Photos if available may be viewed by clicking on the individual features in the map. Survey data have not been edited and are for reference purposes only. These maps are still under development and feedback is appreciated.

  • Southeast Alaska Herring Surveys external site link
    The interactive map has multiple pages included: Current day survey, All Surveys (time-enabled showing all 2022 surveys), and 2020 (Sitka Sound) and 2021 SEAK time-enabled apps. Herring spawn photos are highlighted in photo-viewer apps.

Sitka Sound 2020 Surveys

Research

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