Several vessels went out to conduct test sets on Tuesday, but that’s as close as seiners got to hauling in any herring. While the fishery remains on 2-hour notice, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game hasn’t yet found the conditions right to open the fishery.
ADF&G conducted aerial surveys of Sitka Sound this morning and observed herring schools close to the shore, from Silver Point to Deep Inlet, but saw no spawn. According to a press release from the department, they saw numerous whales in deeper water west of Vistkari Rocks, and over 300 sea lions between Bieli Rock and Inner Point.
Three test sets showed averages of just over 7 percent to just under 11 percent mature roe, with fish averaging between 85 and 104 grams in size.
In a radio update to seiners Tuesday afternoon, fisheries biologist Eric Coonradt said there was a good concentration of fish southbound. He said since there were schools of fish in Eastern Channel, seiners must stop doing practice sets in that area and move to Starrigavan Bay if they needed to practice or stretch nets.
Coonradt said the research vessel Kestrel will depart at 7 Wednesday morning. The department will begin aerial surveys slightly earlier, at 7:30 instead of 8 to get a head start, in the event that conditions are right to open the fishery.
