Region 2-Southcentral News Release
(Released: July 22, 2005)
ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
Wayne Regelin, Commissioner
DIVISION OF SPORT FISH
Kelly Hepler, Director
Contact:
Jim Hasbrouck
Regional Research Biologist
Phone: (907) 262-9368
July 22, 2005
REVISED SONAR ESTIMATES SHOW
KENAI RIVER LATE KING SALMON RUN IS HEALTHY
During its annual sonar system calibration, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) noted a potential error in the measurement of the system sensitivity at its Kenai River Chinook Sonar. This error has resulted in a discrepancy in the department’s Kenai River king salmon sonar estimates. Upon compensating for the error and recalculating the data, ADF&G has concluded that the Kenai River late king salmon run is healthy and consistent with the department’s preseason forecast.
Each year, the sonar equipment used to estimate Kenai River king salmon passage is sent to a facility for calibration. Once the equipment returns, it is field tested for accuracy. This year’s field testing revealed an error in the calibration, resulting in a significant underestimation of the number of fish entering the river. While the level of the error would not have caused ADF&G to make different management decisions earlier this season, it could have had potentially adverse affects on future fisheries management decisions.
Now that the calibration error is known and has been corrected, ADF&G has re-analyzed and re-calculated the abundance of Kenai River late-run king salmon. The good news is that the estimated number of king salmon in the river is much greater than previously thought. Over 27,000 king salmon have passed the sonar site through July 20. The projected end of the season inriver run is now 45,000-55,000 and close to the preseason forecast of 61,000. The projected end of the season escapement of 30,000-40,000 is at, or slightly above, the escapement goal range of 17,800-35,700.
Kenai River early-run king salmon data will also need re-evaluation, but for now, anglers should expect plenty of opportunity to catch Kenai River king salmon for the remainder of the season as no restrictions are anticipated at this time.
Revised daily and cumulative estimates have been posted on the Sport Fish Southcentral Fish Count web page – http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/Escapement/HTML/query.cfm
