Latest figures show Bristol Bay's sockeye salmon harvest poised to smash preseason forecast

Thanks to more fish running on the east side of Alaska's Bristol Bay, the overall catch of the area's prized wild salmon could smash early preseason predictions, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG).

Fishermen have hauled in around 33.5 million sockeye salmon this season, or around 92 percent of the ADFG's 36.4-million-fish forecast, with time still left for prime fishing.

ADFG Biologist Tim Sands told IntraFish with the east side fishing districts such as the Ugashik and Naknek-Kvichak picking up steam in recent days, the total Bristol Bay sockeye harvest for the season is likely to surpass the preseason forecast and will likely break 40 million.