Fish counts available from the State Department of Fish and Game show that the daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday.
Only a couple days ago, on Sunday, this year’s run was lagging behind each of the last four years. On Saturday, the daily count was 17,000 sockeye. That number climbed in the days following, with 32,000 Sunday, 51,000 Monday, then all the way to 120,000 Tuesday.
Before Tuesday’s count, the highest daily number on the Kenai River this year was 69,000, counted over a week ago on July 17. Since then, counts have largely held around 30,000.
The department has said throughout the year in weekly fishing reports that numbers “should improve,” and last week issued two Emergency Orders increasing the bag limits for sockeye on the river and removing time restrictions from the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery. Those emergency orders both cited department predictions for a run that entirely surpasses the escapement goal for the species, which is 750,000-1.3 million.
To date, around 565,000 sockeye have been counted in the Kenai River’s late run — with more than 20% of that number counted Tuesday.
Daily sockeye counts for the Kasilof River are trending upward, but not as dramatically as the Kenai. Russian River counts are holding steady.
The next local fishing report will be published by the department on Thursday.
More information about fish counts, regulations and availability can be found at adfg.alaska.gov.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
