Alaska’s commercial salmon harvest could drop by more than a third this year, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s 2026 forecast.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska’s commercial salmon harvest could drop by more than a third this year, according to the The department projects a total harvest of 125.5 million salmon for the commercial season.
Fishermen landed about 197 million fish in 2025, representing a forecasted drop of more than 70 million total fish. The forecast attributes the drop largely to pink salmon, which Fish and Game say run on a two-year cycle that creates alternating high and low harvest years. Fishermen hauled in 120 million pink salmon in 2025, a high year in the cycle, according to Fish and Game.
This year’s forecast projects 56 million pink salmon, a sharp decrease of 64 million fish from that species alone.
“It’s not surprising ... because 2025 was one of those odd-numbered years that had relatively high pink salmon production,” said Forrest Bowers, acting director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries. “We’ve had to restrict fishing for chum salmon to conserve king salmon,” Bowers said. Bowers said the forecast is typically accurate within 10 to 15%. Last year’s forecast was off by about 17 million fish, less than 10%.
This year’s numbers may shift as the season gets underway. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s forecast covers commercial harvests only. Subsistence and sport fishing numbers are reported separately. Woman on the run for nearly 2 years found inside air conditioning vent, authorities sayBody found in Spenard area prompts investigationKodiak teen rescued from water after fall through ice‘We forgive them’: Family still seeking answers to man’s death 1 year later
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