Commercial harvesters in Prince William Sound delivered an estimated 1.4 million salmon to processors through July 23, in a season marked by a healthy but well below forecast catch.
In the Copper River District, the sockeyes were averaging six pounds and the Chinooks 12-13 pounds, but overall below the anticipated harvest, said Jeremy Botz, a veteran fisheries biologist in the Cordova office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
In Prince William Sound chum salmon weighed an average of 6.5 pounds and sockeyes were a little bigger on average than a year ago, but harvest numbers were again below forecast, he said.
“All we know is that they are not coming back as expected,'” said Todd Johnson, ADF&G seine manager in Cordova.
The size of pink salmon caught in the cost recovery program at Solomon Gulch hatchery were averaging 3.6 pounds, he said.
The preliminary commercial catch for Prince William Sound through July 23 included 740,000 chum, 584,000 sockeye, 60,000 pink, 3,000 coho, and 3,000 Chinook salmon.
Statewide preliminary catch estimates were 39.2 million salmon, including 33.8 million sockeye, 4.1 million chum, 1.2 million pink, 61,000 Chinook and 32,000 coho salmon.
Both Bristol Bay and Copper River sockeye have been larger than the ones caught in 2025, according to a harvest report contracted by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Copper River sockeye have averaged 5.8 pounds and Bristol Bay sockeye have averaged 5.2 pounds across the 2026 season, fisheries economists said.
Through July 18 the statewide commercial salmon harvest surpassed 33 million fish, 27% of the annual projection, but the report said the season continues to lag significantly behind the average.
Pink salmon harvests currently lag 80% behind harvests in 2024, the report said.
Pink harvests are down most in Prince William Sound. A recent aerial survey showed minimal numbers of pink salon specifically in the eastern district of the sound, according to ADF&G. The Valdez Fisheries Development Association reported pausing cost recovery fishing in order to build hatchery brood stock.
Keta harvests are 65% below 2025 through statistical week 29, the Chignik fishery being the only keta fishery currently above its 2025 harvest. Similar to pink salmon harvests, keta harvests in Prince William Sound have been severely hindered by low returns and fewer fishing openers.
Even so, customer demand for the salmon remains robust.
“They’re flying out of here,” said Blad Romero, a fishmonger at Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, where the price for whole sockeyes averaging four pounds is $100 and sockeye fillets are $29.99.
At 10th & M Seafoods in Anchorage, where sockeye fillets coming now from Cook Inlet and Bristol Bay are $16.99 a pound, average orders are for 15-20 pounds, said manager Tito Marquez.
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