Sockeye catch higher during 2nd Copper River opening

The second Copper River salmon fishing opener yielded less fish than projected, but the catch was higher than during the first opening.

The preliminary harvest estimate from the 24-hour period that occurred on Thursday, May 19, is 1,800 chinook and 55,000 sockeye salmon. This compares to an anticipated harvest of 67,725 sockeye salmon for this period.

More fish are heading upriver. The cumulative sonar count through May 20, was 41,311 fish; the anticipated range for this date is 11,239–17,395.

During this year's first opening on May 18, Copper River fishermen anded 22,498 sockeye salmon for a total of 111,573 pounds in the Copper River fishing district for the first 12-hour fishing period on Monday.

During