Prince William Sound's seine fishery stays closed, its next opening tied to hatchery returns

Prince William Sound's purse seine fishery will stay closed, with no opening on the calendar. Fish and Game's notice Sunday ties the next commercial opening to how many salmon return to the region's hatcheries for egg collection, rather than to a set date.

The closure reverses the previous notice, which had opened part of the fishery for Aug. 22, and is the fleet's second closure this month. Aerial surveys will continue to track escapement of later-returning stocks.

The hatcheries are moving into egg collection. The Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation finished its 2026 pink salmon cost-recovery goal Aug. 10, and egg take begins Aug. 24 at Wally Noerenberg Hatchery. The Valdez Fisheries Development Association had collected 46% of its egg-take goal through Aug. 20 and says its broodstock needs are secured.

The brief Aug. 22 opening brought in about 7,700 pink, 4,400 coho and 4,100 chum salmon across 39 deliveries in the Eastern District, and 5,700 pink, 1,400 coho and 110 chum across 27 deliveries in the Coghill District. The Montague District harvest was confidential.

The next seine announcement is expected by 2 pm Tuesday.