Fisheries, Subsistence, and Habitat
Publications Searchable Database
Search Again| Division: | Sport Fish |
| Title: | Eastside set gillnet Chinook salmon harvest composition in Upper Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2017. |
| Author: | Eskelin, A., and A. W. Barclay. |
| Year: | 2018 |
| Report ID: | Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 18-30, Anchorage. |
| Abstract: | Chinook salmon were sampled for genetic tissue and age, sex, and length from the Upper Cook Inlet Eastside set gillnet commercial fishery in 2017. Mixed-stock analysis was conducted on tissue samples collected to represent harvest by date and area. Reported harvest was 4,779 Chinook salmon, with an estimated composition of 3,762 (79%) Kenai River mainstem, 905 (19%) Kasilof River mainstem, 69 (1%) Cook Inlet other, and 43 (<1%) Kenai River tributaries fish. Kenai River mainstem fish have composed on average 71% of harvest since 2010. Estimated harvest of large (75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer) Chinook salmon was 3,801 fish composed of 2,998 (63% of total harvest) Kenai River mainstem, 730 (15%) Kasilof River mainstem, 44 (<1%) Cook Inlet other, and 29 Kenai River tributaries (<1%) fish. Large Kenai River mainstem fish have composed on average 47% of the total harvest since 2015 ranging from 36% in 2015 to 63% in 2017. Age composition in 2017 was 3.6% age-1.1 fish (jacks), 13.3% age-1.2 fish, 43.0% age-1.3 fish, 39.7% age-1.4 fish, and 0.4% age-1.5 fish. The combined percentage of jacks and age-1.2 fish was the 3rd lowest since 1987. Sex composition was 48% males and 52% females. Average mid eye to fork length was 851 mm. |
| Keywords: | Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Upper Cook Inlet, UCI, Kenai River, Kasilof River, late run, mixed stock analysis, MSA, ASL, ESSN, Eastside set gillnet commercial fishery. |