Kotzebue chum fishermen got a second buyer for the season's last week

Kotzebue chum fishermen had two registered buyers to sell to during the final six openings of the season, after weeks with only one.

Fish and Game scheduled six consecutive eight-hour openings, 10 am to 6 pm daily from Aug. 16 through Friday, under an emergency order for the district. Its advisory repeated the reminder it has carried all summer: check with buyers before starting operations to be sure there is a market for the catch.

Alaska News previously covered advisories in mid-July and early August listing a single registered buyer. Copper River, then the only one, paid 57 cents a pound for iced chum and 60 cents for iced and bagged fish, nearly 20 cents above 2025 prices.

The fishery opened July 10 with 22 eight-hour periods scheduled. The department keeps harvest figures confidential but says catch rates are strong and above the long-term historical average. It forecast a commercial harvest of 50,000 to 150,000 chum this year. Last year's harvest came in near 35,000 fish.

In documentation prepared for federal chum bycatch analysis, the department said the Kotzebue commercial schedule over five recent years "has been set by the buyer," with openings timed to the hours buyers request.

The regulatory season closes Aug. 31. The department's January outlook expected buyers this year, with operations likely ending before that date.