Alaska Peninsula Fisheries Could Harvest More than 20 million Salmon if Averages Hold The commercial salmon catch from the fisheries along the Alaskan Peninsula could exceed 20 million fish this season. ADF&G is projecting the sockeye harvest from the Southern Alaska Peninsula to total 2.26 million fish, which is based on the recent five-year average. The pink run from the region is projected to be 15.6 million fish. Statewide, the salmon harvest this year is expected to top 204 million. That includes 80,000 Chinook and 40.8 million sockeye, majorities of which will come from Bristol Bay. Unusually heavy Arctic pack ice has trapped multiple vessels, stymied the fishing season and triggered a high-stakes rescue operation from a sinking ship off Newfoundland. Five fishermen were rescued Wednesday from the Avalon Princess fishing boat, which started to take on water after getting stuck in thick sea ice near La Scie. The ice pack is especially odd this year because of a cold spring and from winds that pushed ice inland rather than out to sea. In other news Copper River king salmon return is coming in better than forecast. Predicted to be the weakest on record, at about 29,000 kings, ADF&G Upper Copper River management biologist Mark Somerville says the forecast is being questioned –given recent week’s king harvest by commercial fishers on the river’s delta. “Even under a restricted area and time the commercial fishery has caught over eight thousand king salmon, which is unexpected and indicates that the return may be higher than we anticipated,” Somerville said. Meanwhile, in a related story, Peggy Parker writes how Copper River salmon management could benefit from the use of sonar technology to identify escapement. Alaska state biologists are testing adaptive resolution imaging sonar technology, known as ARIS. Biologists are optimistic that the tool will help identify Chinook escapement at that part of the river with more certainty. "This year at Miles Lake, we're conducting a pilot project using a new hi-def sonar that can distinguish large king salmon, at least 650 mm, from sockeye," said Stormy Haught, area research biologist for the Copper River. Finally, the Gulf States are trying to negotiate more fishing days for red snapper in federal waters with federal fishery regulators at NOAA but may have to agree to a shorter season in state waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is holding a special meeting this week to discuss the compromise of extending red snapper fishing in federal waters. The other Gulf States are having similar discussions. NOAA set the federal red snapper fishing season to three days from June 1 – June 4.