Bristol Bay eastside sockeye tops 17.7 million as fleet and openings surge

Bristol Bay's three eastside commercial districts have combined for more than 17.7 million sockeye salmon through July 12, with the Nushagak District adding another 8.5 million on the westside. The Naknek-Kvichak accounted for 5 million fish, Egegik for 7.9 million, and Ugashik for 4.8 million, according to Alaska Department of Fish and Game Eastside Salmon Announcement 36. The Nushagak total included 224,000 fish harvested on July 12 alone.

ADF&G forecast the 2026 Bristol Bay sockeye total run at 45.32 million fish, with a harvestable surplus of 33.53 million; that figure is 26% below the 10-year average of 61.0 million fish.

Managers have kept commercial periods open as escapement accumulates across the eastside rivers. Cumulative escapement through July 12 stands at 850,000 fish in the Naknek River, which ADF&G noted is within the escapement goal; 1 million in the Alagnak; and 2.7 million in the Kvichak, with 1.8 million in the Egegik and 1.4 million in the Ugashik. ADF&G has issued a rapid sequence of emergency orders across the eastside districts over the past several days. Vessel registrations in the Naknek-Kvichak District climbed from 393 on July 10 to 471 by July 13, with 512 expected within 48 hours.

For Tuesday, July 14, the Naknek-Kvichak District opens to drift gillnet gear for 18 hours from midnight to 6:00 p.m., with set gillnet extended until further notice. The Egegik District opens for drift gillnet gear for 20 hours from 10:30 p.m. Monday through 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the set gillnet period also extended until 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Ugashik District opens to drift and set gillnet gear for 16 hours from 9:00 a.m. Tuesday to 1:00 a.m. Wednesday.

Permit holders in all three eastside districts should stand by at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, for the next possible announcement.