US: Bristol Bay sockeye salmon forecast for 2025

In 2025, the forecast calls for about 49.6 million sockeye salmon to enter Bristol Bay. This is close to the average for the past 20 years, but 18% lower than the average for the past 10 years, which was 60.1 million. This may indicate some changes in the ecosystem or conditions that affect fish migration. Scientists also predict that the catch will be about 32.4 million fish, which is also in line with the average, but raises questions about the health of the population. Notably, the catch this year is dominated by small fish, which may affect future population dynamics. In 2025, fisheries plan to harvest about 185.3 million pounds (about 84 thousand tons) of sockeye salmon. The average weight of the fish caught is projected to be 5.7 pounds (about 2.59 kilograms). This is slightly less than in 2023, which may be due to an increase in the share of small individuals in the catch. Experts note that 39% of the sockeye salmon that will enter the spawning grounds will be represented ...