At nearly 46.6 million as of Tuesday, the 2022 Bristol Bay salmon harvest is now the largest ever, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) confirmed with IntraFish. And more fish are on the way.
The previous record harvest in Bristol bay was 44.7 million sockeye in 1995, ADF&G area biologist Jordan Head told IntraFish.
"This is the largest harvest since fishing began in 1883. The all-time record," he said.
The current inshore run projections are tracking above the 73.4 million preseason forecast, which means this could also be the largest inshore run "in the history of the fish," ADF&G said.
While the peak of the fishing season has likely occurred, Head said things have in no way slowed down. Fishermen are projected to harvest as much as 59.9 million sockeye in Bristol Bay this summer.
"We are on the back side of the run at this point, but the back side of one of the largest runs in history means there is still really good fishing to come," he said.
The Nushagak River district has accounted for nearly 78 percent of that overall harvest, where ADF&G predicted massive returns this year.
From late June into this month, Bristol Bay fishermen have hauled in millions of fish per day in the Nushagak and other Alaska fishing districts.
