Alaska celebrates “tremendous harvests” for 2017 salmon season

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released initial season-end figures for the state’s 2017 salmon harvest, which indicate that the fishery had another extremely successful year. 

Around 224.6 million wild salmon were caught, worth an estimated USD 678.8 million (EUR 582.4 million) – up 66.7 percent from USD 407.3 million (EUR 349.5 million) in value compared to 2016.

Sockeye salmon accounted for almost half of 2017’s value and about a quarter of the harvest at USD 326.1 million and 52.4 million fish. Pink salmon made up 25 percent of the total value at USD 169 million (EUR 145 million) and the majority of the harvest at 141.6 million fish. Chum salmon made up 19 percent of the value at USD 128.3 million (EUR 110.1 million) and just over 10 percent of the harvest at 25.2 million fish. Coho salmon made up just six percent of the value at USD 37.6 million (EUR 32.3 million) and two percent of the harvest with 5.1 million fish. 251,141 Chinook salmon were harvested, and sold for USD 17.8 million (EUR 15.3 million). 

"Tremendous harvests occurred across Alaska from Kotzebue to Southeast, highlighted by an all-time record statewide chum salmon harvest,” Forrest Bowers, deputy director of Alaska’s Division of Commercial Fisheries, said. “In addition, 2017 is the third year in a row statewide sockeye salmon harvest exceeded 50 million fish. Record wild salmon harvests like these are a testament to Alaska's sound, science-based management, the professionalism of ADF&G's staff, and thoughtful stakeholder engagement.”