The Port Moller Test Fishery Continues to Show Sockeye Headed to Bristol Bay

The ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery continues to record sockeye headed to Bristol Bay. Another 193 sockeye were caught on Sunday. The catch at station 2 was just 2 fish but the catch increased up to 26 sockeye at station 4. The catch at station 6 was 46 sockeye and the catch at station 8 was 63 fish. The catch at station 10 was 56-sockeye. Sunday’s fishing effort produced a daily replacement index number of 38. That’s the lowest replacement index number since June 28th. The daily traditional index number from Sunday’s fishing effort was 83. That pushed the cumulative traditional index number up to 1,716. The latest genetic information from the Port Moller Test Fishery was released Sunday night for the sockeye caught through the test fishery on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. 50.3-percent of the sockeye analyzed carried the genetic signal for the Kvichak River and 12.2-percent were identified as Igushik River sockeye. 11.1-percent of the sockeye were apparently headed to the Egegik River and 8.2-percent apparently carried the genetic signal for the Ugashik River. 9.2-percent carried the genetic signal for the Naknek River and 1.8-percent were identified as sockeye headed to the Alagnak River. 4.9-percent of the analyzed sockeye held the genetic signal for the Nushagak River but just 1.6-percent were bound for the Wood River. There was no genetic signal identified for the Togiak River but 0.7-percent of the analyzed sockeye were headed to the Kuskokwim River. The latest genetic data covers sockeye caught on July 2nd and 3rd. Figuring in the current travel time of 5 to 6-days between the test fishing grounds and the in-shore fishing districts of Bristol Bay puts those fish in-shore in the next couple of days. The ongoing Port Moller Test Fishery is currently scheduled to fish through this Thursday.