ADF&G: 2016 Togiak Herring Catch Will Be Similar to Last Season
SEAFOODNEWS.COM By Peggy Parker - October 6, 2015
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced a forecasted herring harvest of 32,449 tons for Togiak this coming spring, just under last seasons’ total of 32,696 tons.
Those figures represent 20% of the total spawning biomass observed and calculated in the Togiak area.
“The Pacific herring spawning biomass in the Togiak District was estimated at 228,807 tons in 2015 and is forecast to be 162,244 tons in 2016,” writes Greg Buck & Fred West, assistant area research biologists.
The harvest forecast is traditionally caught by Togiak’s purse seine sac roe fleet, the gill net fleet, and by harvesters of herring spawn on kelp. There is also a Dutch Harbor food and bait fishery.
The Togiak sac roe fishery takes the majority of the quota. Next year their quota is forecast at 28,782 tons compared to last April’s 29,012 tons.
Buck and West say ages 9-11 year old herring will comprise 48% of the biomass in 2016. “The remainder expected to be ages 4–8 will make up 44%, and ages 12+ will comprise 8% of the biomass by weight. The 2016 individual average weight is forecast to be...
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