Commercial Harvest of Klawock Lake Sockeye Salmon in the District 103 and 104 Purse Seine Fisheries, Southeast Alaska, 2018–2021

The Klawock Lake sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) run supports one of the most heavily used subsistence fisheries in Southeast Alaska and is the primary sockeye salmon subsistence resource for the communities of Klawock and Craig. During the period 2011–2017, the average spawning population declined by 63% and the average reported subsistence harvest declined by 50% compared to the previous decade. A major source of uncertainty regarding the decline in Klawock Lake sockeye salmon abundance is the lack of information regarding harvest in commercial fisheries. This project will provided estimates of the harvest and run timing of Klawock Lake sockeye in nearby commercial purse seine fisheries for four years (2018–2021) through genetic mixed stock analysis of sampled harvests. The commercial fisheries in management Districts 103 and 104 were targeted because they are terminal to Klawock Lake and most of the commercial harvest of Klawock Lake sockeye salmon likely occurs in those districts. We further split District 103 into two spatial strata: Northern District 103 (subdistricts 50-90) and Southern District 103 (subdistricts 11-40). The commercial harvest of Klawock Lake sockeye salmon was highest in Northern District 103 in three of four years (2018–2020), and highest in District 104 in one year (2021). Klawock Lake sockeye were virtually absent in the commercial harvest in Southern District 103 in all four years (2018-2021). The total commercial harvest (Districts 103 and 104) of Klawock Lake sockeye salmon was 2,619 fish in 2018, 5,523 fish in 2019, 3,352 fish in 2020, and 6,677 fish in 2021. These data, combined with escapement and subsistence harvests, were used to produce the first estimates of total run size for Klawock Lake sockeye salmon. The total run size varied from year to year, with 13,147 fish in 2018, 14,953 fish in 2019, 19,702 fish in 2020, and 13,600 fish in 2021. Similarly, overall harvest rates varied from 43.9% in 2018 to 59.9% in 2021 (average = 50.9%). Commercial harvest rates averaged lower than the historical averages from nearby sockeye salmon stocks at Hugh Smith and McDonald Lakes. Commercial harvest rates were higher in odd-years than even-years, presumably due to increased fishing pressure on more abundant odd-year pink salmon. The subsistence harvest rates averaged higher (20.1%) than the subsistence harvest rates on McDonald and Hugh Smith Lakes (average < 2%).