{"id": "afd-000001", "text": "Bristol Bay, Alaska is the world's largest wild sockeye salmon fishery. Commercial sockeye harvests have been documented annually since 1884 when the first cannery opened at Nushagak. The fishery set an all-time record commercial harvest in 2022 with 79.8 million sockeye salmon, generating approximately $326 million in ex-vessel value. The 2021 season was 57.2 million fish, also a record at the time. Historic low harvests occurred around 1950-1970 during overharvest and before Limited Entry (CFEC) was implemented in 1975. ADF&G preseason forecasts have improved dramatically from \u00b150% error in the 1960s to \u00b110-15% with modern multi-model ensemble methods.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1884-2024", "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000002", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1884: First commercial Nushagak cannery. Approximately 120,000 sockeye harvested in the first year.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1884, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000003", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1916: 2.4 million sockeye \u2014 early peak of unregulated cannery era.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1916, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000004", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1938: 3.1 million \u2014 territorial era peak.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1938, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000005", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1950: 1.4 million \u2014 low point after decades of overfishing.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1950, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000006", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1975: 8.2 million \u2014 CFEC limited entry begins. Stock recovery underway.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1975, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000007", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1977: PDO regime shift \u2014 warm phase begins, production improves dramatically.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1977, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000008", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1980: 21.4 million \u2014 strong warm PDO era harvest.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1980, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000009", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1988: 31.4 million \u2014 first modern mega-return.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1988, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000010", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 1996: 28.1 million \u2014 surprise low vs 38M forecast; major management lesson.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 1996, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000011", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2002: 29.4 million \u2014 population low modern era.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2002, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000012", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2010: 22.6 million \u2014 below average season.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2010, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000013", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2013: 39.8 million \u2014 then-record year.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2013, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000014", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2018: 62.3 million \u2014 shattered records; ADF&G forecast was only 37M (under by 68%).. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2018, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000015", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2019: 40.2 million \u2014 good season.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2019, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000016", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2020: 42.4 million \u2014 COVID year; no significant processing disruption.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2020, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000017", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2021: 57.2 million \u2014 record year surpassing 2018; second-highest in history.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2021, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000018", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2022: 79.8 million \u2014 all-time RECORD. La Ni\u00f1a + cool PDO + exceptional marine survival combined. $326M ex-vessel.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2022, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000019", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2023: 46.1 million \u2014 moderation after 2022 record.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2023, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000020", "text": "Bristol Bay sockeye salmon commercial harvest 2024: 41.6 million \u2014 ADF&G forecast was 54M (over by 23%). Still a strong season above historic average.. Source: ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "data_type": "annual_harvest", "year": 2024, "species": "Sockeye", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "ADF&G Bristol Bay Annual Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.bristolbay", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/bristol-bay-sockeye-1884-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000021", "text": "Alaska statewide commercial salmon harvest spans 1878-2024 \u2014 the longest documented wild salmon harvest record in North America. The earliest commercial salmon pack was in 1878 (~1.76 million fish) from canneries in Southeast Alaska and Karluk River (Kodiak Island). The all-time peak was in the 1930s with estimated catches over 260 million fish annually (1936: ~262 million estimated). The harvest collapse of the 1950s-60s led to statehood management reforms. Modern annual harvests range from 200-270 million fish covering all 5 Pacific salmon species: Chinook, Sockeye, Coho, Chum, and Pink. Primary sources: Van Hyning (1951) for 1878-1950; ADF&G state annual management reports from 1960.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "salmon-harvest-1878-2024.json", "data_type": "statewide_overview", "year_range": "1878-2024", "source": "ADF&G / Van Hyning (1951)", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyspecies.salmon", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/salmon-harvest-1878-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000022", "text": "Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) commercial fishing in Alaska began in 1888 with New England sailing schooners in the Gulf of Alaska. The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) was established in 1924 to manage declining stocks under the US-Canada Halibut Treaty (signed 1923). Commercial halibut landings from Alaska IPHC areas (2C SE Alaska, 3A Central GOA, 3B Western GOA, 4A-4D BSAI) peaked around 1910-1915 at ~68-70 million pounds. The stock collapsed under unregulated harvest and foreign fleet bycatch in the 1960s-1970s, reaching historic lows around 35-40 million pounds. Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQ) were implemented in 1995, transforming the fishery from a dangerous 2-day 'derby' to a 9-month season. Current Alaska commercial halibut landings are ~27-28 million pounds per year (2020-2024). Data from IPHC Time Series Dataset TSD-007.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "halibut-landings-1888-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1888-2024", "species": "Pacific Halibut", "source": "IPHC TSD-007", "source_url": "https://www.iphc.int/data/time-series-datasets/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/halibut-landings-1888-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000023", "text": "Alaska/BSAI king crab and snow crab fisheries have experienced dramatic boom-bust cycles. Bristol Bay red king crab commercial fishing began in the early 1950s and peaked at ~198 million pounds in 1981 before catastrophically collapsing in 1982-1985. A second collapse occurred in 2021-2023 when the Bering Sea was closed for three consecutive years \u2014 the first closure since 1983 \u2014 after an estimated 10 billion snow crabs died during the warm Bering Sea event of 2018-2021. The fishery reopened in October 2024 with a severely limited TAC of 2.31 million pounds for red king crab. Snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) followed a similar bust cycle after peaking ~186 million pounds in 1995. Data from NOAA AFSC stock assessments and ADF&G COAR database.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "crab-history-1950-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1950-2024", "species": "King Crab/Snow Crab", "region": "BSAI", "source": "NOAA AFSC / ADF&G COAR", "source_url": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/commercial-fishing/bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-crab-fisheries", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/crab-history-1950-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000024", "text": "Bristol Bay Red King Crab harvest 1981: 198 million pounds \u2014 all-time modern record. 1982: 124 million. 1983: 62 million. 1984: 28 million. 1985: 18 million \u2014 catastrophic collapse. The crash was caused by overfishing combined with a cool ocean regime unfavorable to crab. This collapse defined the Bering Sea crisis narrative and accelerated crab rationalization policy.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "crab-history-1950-2024.json", "data_type": "key_event", "years": "1981-1985", "species": "King Crab", "region": "Bristol Bay", "source": "NOAA AFSC / ADF&G", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/crab-history-1950-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000025", "text": "Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Eastern Bering Sea Snow Crab seasons 2021, 2022, and 2023: ALL CLOSED. First king crab closure since 1983. An estimated 10 billion snow crabs perished during the 2018-2021 Bering Sea marine heatwave \u2014 the warm ocean reduced the cold pool habitat crabs require and caused mass starvation. Congress approved fisheries disaster relief. Dungeness crab (Southeast and GOA) was not affected. The BBRKC fishery reopened in October 2024 with a minimal TAC of 2.31 million pounds.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "crab-history-1950-2024.json", "data_type": "key_event", "years": "2021-2024", "species": "King Crab/Snow Crab", "region": "BSAI", "source": "NOAA AFSC 2024", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/crab-history-1950-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000026", "text": "The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a multi-decade cycle of North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature anomalies that strongly influences Alaska salmon production. Described by Mantua et al. (1997) at JISAO. Positive (warm) PDO = warm Gulf of Alaska = generally better salmon. Major regime shifts: 1977 (cool-to-warm), 1989 (partial reversal), 1999 (warm-to-cool), 2014 (brief warm 'Blob' return). The 2014-2016 'Blob' was paradoxically BAD for salmon despite being warm PDO because extreme temperatures depleted prey species and triggered harmful algal blooms. Data from NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory 1900-present.", "metadata": {"repo": "weather-hydrology", "file": "pdo-index-1900-2024.json", "data_type": "climate_overview", "year_range": "1900-2024", "source": "NOAA PSL / Mantua et al. (1997)", "source_url": "https://psl.noaa.gov/pdo/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/weather-hydrology/main/data/pdo-index-1900-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000027", "text": "Bering Sea winter sea ice extent is a critical indicator for groundfish and crab productivity. The Eastern Bering Sea cold pool \u2014 deep cold water persisting from winter ice formation \u2014 is the habitat barrier that limits pollock and other groundfish from colonizing the far-northern shelf, separating sub-Arctic and Arctic species communities. Years 2018 and 2019 had record-low sea ice extent (368,000 km\u00b2 in 2019 vs historical average ~750,000+ km\u00b2). This record warm period is directly linked to the mass mortality of snow crabs estimated at 10 billion individuals. Sea ice extent is tracked by NSIDC satellite records from 1979; 2022-2024 shows recovery. Data from NOAA NCEI and NSIDC Sea Ice Index.", "metadata": {"repo": "weather-hydrology", "file": "bering-sea-ice-sst-1979-2024.json", "data_type": "climate_overview", "year_range": "1979-2024", "source": "NOAA NCEI / NSIDC", "source_url": "https://nsidc.org/data/G02135", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/weather-hydrology/main/data/bering-sea-ice-sst-1979-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000028", "text": "Yukon River Chinook salmon are one of the most culturally significant fish stocks in Alaska, critical to Indigenous (primarily Athabascan and Yup'ik) subsistence communities from the Yukon Delta to the Canadian border. Total Yukon Chinook run estimates have declined from ~320,000 in 1990 to ~138,000-162,000 in 2020-2024 \u2014 a decline of more than 50%. The commercial fishery closed in the early 2000s and has not reopened. Subsistence closures in 2021 and 2022 were unprecedented \u2014 many families were unable to harvest any fish. Congress declared a fisheries disaster. Root cause: declining marine survival (estimated at 1.4-1.6% of smolts returning, vs historical 3-4%). Data from ADF&G Yukon Area Management and Pacific Salmon Commission Chinook Technical Committee.", "metadata": {"repo": "run-timing", "file": "yukon-chinook-1961-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1961-2024", "species": "Chinook", "region": "Yukon River", "source": "ADF&G / PSC Chinook Technical Committee", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.yukon", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/run-timing/main/data/yukon-chinook-1961-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000029", "text": "Alaska groundfish fisheries are managed under the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) and NOAA AFSC. The eastern Bering Sea walleye pollock fishery is the world's largest single-species fishery by volume at 1.8-1.9 million metric tons TAC. Pacific cod (P. cod) is the second-largest Alaska groundfish by value. Sablefish (black cod) is the most valuable Alaska groundfish per pound. Alaska flatfish (flathead sole, yellowfin sole, arrowtooth flounder, Alaska plaice) support major processing operations. The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (1976) eliminated foreign fleets from the 200-mile EEZ and enabled the build-out of the US domestic groundfish fleet. Annual SAFE (Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation) reports for all groundfish species are published by NOAA AFSC.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "groundfish-history-1964-2024.json", "data_type": "industry_overview", "year_range": "1964-2024", "source": "NOAA AFSC SAFE Reports", "source_url": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/population-assessments/north-pacific-groundfish-stock-assessments-and-fishery-evaluation", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/groundfish-history-1964-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000030", "text": "El Ni\u00f1o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) affects Alaska salmon through changes in North Pacific sea surface temperatures and ocean productivity. El Ni\u00f1o events (positive ONI anomaly) generally suppress Alaska salmon by warming the Gulf of Alaska and reducing nutrients. La Ni\u00f1a events (negative ONI) tend to favor Alaska salmon by cooling and increasing nutrient upwelling. The 1982-83 and 1997-98 El Ni\u00f1o events were very negative for Alaska salmon. The 2021-2022 back-to-back La Ni\u00f1a seasons contributed to the record Bristol Bay returns of those years. The 2015-16 El Ni\u00f1o combined with 'The Blob' marine heatwave was especially devastating for Gulf of Alaska marine productivity. NPGO (North Pacific Gyre Oscillation) is correlated with nutrient supply \u2014 high NPGO = more nutrients = better salmon prey. Data from NOAA Climate Prediction Center ONI records 1950-present.", "metadata": {"repo": "weather-hydrology", "file": "enso-npgo-1950-2024.json", "data_type": "climate_overview", "year_range": "1950-2024", "source": "NOAA CPC ONI / Di Lorenzo et al. (2008)", "source_url": "https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ONI_v5.php", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/weather-hydrology/main/data/enso-npgo-1950-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000031", "text": "Pacific salmon marine survival rates \u2014 the percentage of juvenile smolts that survive to become adult salmon \u2014 are the primary driver of adult abundance and a major conservation concern. Alaska sockeye survival rates have ranged from ~5% to ~12% depending on ocean conditions, with Bristol Bay sockeye at ~11-12% during the record 2018 and 2022 seasons. Chinook salmon survival rates have been in long-term decline across nearly all Alaska stocks: from a historical average of 4-7% to as low as 1.4-2.1% in recent years. This declining Chinook marine survival is the root cause of the Yukon River, Kuskokwim, and Cook Inlet Chinook crises. The mechanism is not fully understood but correlates with changes in prey availability, competition from hatchery fish, and climate-driven ecosystem shifts. PSC Chinook Technical Committee provides the most comprehensive data through coded wire tag and scale pattern analysis.", "metadata": {"repo": "weather-hydrology", "file": "salmon-marine-survival-1975-2024.json", "data_type": "biological_overview", "year_range": "1975-2024", "species": "Salmon", "source": "PSC Chinook Technical Committee / Ruggerone & Connors (2015)", "source_url": "https://www.psc.org/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/weather-hydrology/main/data/salmon-marine-survival-1975-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000032", "text": "Alaska salmon hatcheries release approximately 2.4 billion juvenile salmon annually \u2014 one of the largest salmon enhancement programs in the world. The Private Non-Profit (PNP) hatchery program was established by the Alaska Legislature in 1974 and has grown to ~60 hatcheries operating statewide. Pink and Chum salmon account for the majority of releases (~85%). Hatchery fish contribute approximately 25-35% of Alaska's commercial salmon harvest by number. The impact of hatchery fish on wild stock productivity and competition is an active scientific debate. Ruggerone et al. (2018) estimated that total Pacific salmon numbers reached record highs in the 2010s largely due to hatchery contributions, with potential ecosystem consequences from increased competition for food in the North Pacific. Data from ADF&G Division of Commercial Fisheries hatchery program annual reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "hatchery-releases-1975-2024.json", "data_type": "industry_overview", "year_range": "1975-2024", "species": "All Salmon", "source": "ADF&G Division of Commercial Fisheries hatchery programs", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hatchery.main", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/hatchery-releases-1975-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000033", "text": "Alaska salmon escapement goals are annual target ranges for the number of adult salmon that must reach spawning grounds to sustain future production. They are set by the Alaska Board of Fisheries based on analysis of historical spawner-recruit data. Types: SEG (Sustainable Escapement Goal) \u2014 range supporting maximum sustainable yield; OEG (Optimal Escapement Goal) \u2014 refined for specific management objectives; BEG (Biological Escapement Goal) \u2014 biological minimum. Current major goals: Kenai River sockeye 685,000-1,300,000 (SEG 2012); Kenai River Chinook 15,000-30,000 (SEG 2015); Bristol Bay sockeye \u2014 no single goal but district-level goals sum to ~10-15 million; Copper River sockeye OEG 1,200,000-2,400,000. Escapement is measured by sonar (DIDSON technology), weir counts, aerial surveys, and mark-recapture. Data from ADF&G BOF decisions and ADF&G Fishery Management Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "run-timing", "file": "escapement-goals.json", "data_type": "management_overview", "source": "ADF&G Board of Fisheries / ADF&G Fishery Management Reports", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifespecies.escapement", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/run-timing/main/data/escapement-goals.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000034", "text": "Alaska commercial salmon ex-vessel prices (price paid to fishermen at the dock) have shown a long-term increase with significant volatility driven by global farmed salmon competition. Chinook salmon commands the highest price and can reach $10-15/lb dockside for premium-quality fish. Sockeye prices range from $0.75-3.00/lb. Pink salmon prices are the lowest and most volatile due to the size of pink runs and competition with farmed Atlantic salmon. The salmon price crash of 1999-2004 was devastating \u2014 sockeye fell below $0.25/lb due to Norwegian farmed salmon flooding world markets. Recovery was driven by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) campaigns promoting 'Wild Alaska Salmon' as premium product. Ex-vessel prices from ADF&G CFEC fish ticket data 1970-2024.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "ex-vessel-prices-1970-2024.json", "data_type": "economics_overview", "year_range": "1970-2024", "species": "All Salmon", "source": "ADF&G CFEC fish ticket database", "source_url": "https://www.cfec.state.ak.us/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/ex-vessel-prices-1970-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000035", "text": "Alaska commercial fisheries are the economic backbone of many coastal communities. Total ex-vessel value statewide reached an all-time record of ~$2.14 billion in 2022. The wholesale value of Alaska seafood exceeds $5 billion annually. The industry supports approximately 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs (harvesting, processing, transportation, support). Alaska accounts for approximately 60% of total US commercial fish landings by volume. Key communities: Kodiak, Dutch Harbor/Unalaska (consistently the top US port by volume), Juneau, Sitka, Cordova, Naknek, Dillingham, Bethel. Data from NOAA Fisheries Economics of the United States annual reports and McDowell Group economic analysis.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "economic-impact-1970-2024.json", "data_type": "economics_overview", "year_range": "1970-2024", "source": "NOAA FEUS / McDowell Group", "source_url": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/fisheries-economics-united-states", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/economic-impact-1970-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000036", "text": "Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) in Alaska support three commercial fisheries: sac roe (spawn-on-kelp), food/bait, and historically reduction (for oil and meal). The Sitka Sound herring roe fishery is the dominant modern Alaska herring fishery. Prince William Sound herring collapsed in 1993 after a combined impact of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and a devastating Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) virus outbreak. The PWS herring population has never recovered despite 30+ years. The Sitka herring spawning biomass is declining from its historical peak and the fishery is approaching conservation thresholds. Japanese demand drives the roe fishery market \u2014 herring roe (kazunoko) is a traditional New Year's food in Japan. Data from ADF&G commercial fisheries and EVOS Trustee Council recovery monitoring.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "herring-1930-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1930-2024", "species": "Pacific Herring", "source": "ADF&G Commercial Fisheries / EVOS Trustee Council", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyspecies.herring", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/herring-1930-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000037", "text": "Copper River salmon from southcentral Alaska are widely considered the world's most prized commercially-caught salmon. They command the highest ex-vessel prices due to exceptional fat content developed during the 300-mile freshwater migration from the Gulf of Alaska to spawning grounds near Chitina. The first commercial opening of the Copper River season in mid-May is one of the most-watched events in the US seafood industry \u2014 first-day fish are airfreighted to restaurants nationwide at prices of $40-60/pound retail. Copper River Chinook (king salmon) typically average $5-7/lb ex-vessel. Copper River sockeye (red salmon) range $2-4/lb. Miles Lake sonar provides real-time counts used for in-season management. Data from ADF&G Prince William Sound/Copper River area office annual reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "copper-river-1970-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1970-2024", "species": "Chinook/Sockeye", "region": "Copper River", "source": "ADF&G PWS/Copper River Area", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.pwscopper", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/copper-river-1970-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000038", "text": "Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), also known as black cod, is the most valuable Alaska groundfish by ex-vessel price per pound ($3-4/lb in 2024). The sablefish fishery was transformed in 1995 by the implementation of Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs) \u2014 one of the most successful fisheries management innovations in history. Before IFQs, the fishery was a dangerous 'derby' compressed into 2-3 weeks with extreme pressure to fish in any weather. After IFQs, fishermen can select optimal weather windows across a 9-month season, dramatically improving safety and fish quality. IFQ holders can lease or sell their quota shares. Current Alaska sablefish TAC: ~59 million pounds (2024), significantly reduced from the 68-70 million pound peak in the 1990s as stock biomass has declined. Data from NOAA AFSC SAFE Reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "sablefish-1960-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1960-2024", "species": "Sablefish", "source": "NOAA AFSC SAFE Reports", "source_url": "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sablefish", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/sablefish-1960-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000039", "text": "ADF&G issues approximately 800-900 emergency orders (EOs) per year statewide governing commercial and sport fisheries openings, closures, and restrictions. EOs are issued by Area Management Biologists based on real-time run data, sonar counts, and escapement observations. The system allows extremely responsive in-season management \u2014 an area can be opened or closed within hours. The online EONR (Emergency Order Notification and Reporting) system has been operational since approximately 2000. The archive records ~18,400 EOs from 2000-2024. Highest EO years coincide with record seasons (2018: 896, 2022: 912) when extensive additional fishing periods were needed. Active emergency orders are searchable at the ADF&G EONR website. Buskin River (Kodiak) and Anchor River (Lower Cook Inlet) are under closure EOs through December 31, 2026 per EO 2-RS-4-01-26.", "metadata": {"repo": "emergency-orders", "file": "eo-archive-2000-2024.json", "data_type": "management_overview", "year_range": "2000-2024", "source": "ADF&G EONR database", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingemergencyorders.main", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/emergency-orders/main/data/eo-archive-2000-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000040", "text": "Kodiak Island supports one of Alaska's oldest and most productive salmon fisheries, going back to the first commercial cannery at Karluk River in 1882. The Karluk Lake/River sockeye run was enormous in the early 20th century \u2014 a primary driver of cannery development and the subject of groundbreaking early fisheries science by the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. William Ricker used Karluk River spawner-recruit data as a key dataset in developing the famous Ricker stock-recruitment model (1954). The modern Kodiak salmon fishery is dominated by the Ayakulik (Red River) sockeye system. Total Kodiak area commercial salmon harvest currently runs 58-62 million fish annually, generating ~$130-150 million in ex-vessel value.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "kodiak-salmon-1882-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1882-2024", "species": "All Salmon", "region": "Kodiak", "source": "ADF&G Kodiak Area / BCF historical records", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.kodiak", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/kodiak-salmon-1882-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000041", "text": "Southeast Alaska (SEAK) commercial salmon fisheries are among the oldest in the state, dating back to 1878 with the first canneries near Fort Wrangell. The SEAK troll fishery produces the highest-value Chinook salmon in the world \u2014 trolling targets high-quality salmon with individual hook-and-line gear, maximizing quality. The SEAK purse seine fishery dominates pink and sockeye harvests. SEAK commercial salmon harvests peaked in the 1930s at 84+ million fish and declined through the 1950s-60s before recovering under managed limited entry. Current SEAK commercial salmon harvests run 86-90 million fish annually generating $200-220 million ex-vessel, making SEAK the highest-total-value commercial salmon region in Alaska when all species are included.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "se-alaska-salmon-1900-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1900-2024", "species": "All Salmon", "region": "Southeast Alaska", "source": "ADF&G Southeast Region", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.se", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/se-alaska-salmon-1900-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000042", "text": "Eastern Bering Sea walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) is the world's largest single-species fishery by volume with annual TAC of ~1.88 million metric tons. NOAA AFSC conducts age-structured stock assessments annually using acoustic surveys, bottom trawl surveys, and age/size composition data. Total pollock biomass peaked around 1982 at an estimated 18-19 million metric tons (age 3+). Stock biomass declined through the 1990s-2000s before recovering to 12-14 million MT range in 2010-2022. The Eastern Bering Sea cold pool \u2014 maintained by winter sea ice \u2014 is critical pollock habitat and limits northward distribution. Recent warm years (2018-2020) with minimal cold pool caused pollock to shift northward into uncharted areas. Pollock supports the imitation crab (surimi) and filet market. Data from NOAA AFSC annual BSAI pollock SAFE reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "ocean-harvest", "file": "pollock-stock-biomass-1978-2024.json", "data_type": "species_overview", "year_range": "1978-2024", "species": "Walleye Pollock", "region": "Eastern Bering Sea", "source": "NOAA AFSC annual pollock SAFE assessments", "source_url": "https://apps-afsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/ocean-harvest/main/data/pollock-stock-biomass-1978-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000043", "text": "The Kuskokwim River drains 48,000 square miles of western Alaska and is critically important to Yup'ik communities. Kuskokwim Chinook salmon runs have declined severely from ~280,000-320,000 fish in the 1980s-1990s to ~136,000-162,000 in recent years. The commercial fishery has been closed since approximately 2010. Multiple years of nearly complete subsistence closure \u2014 including 2012 and 2015 \u2014 caused serious food security and cultural crises for riverside communities. The Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group (KRSMWG) was established to provide collaborative management including local knowledge holders. Federal disaster relief has been provided. Data from ADF&G Bethel area office annual management reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "run-timing", "file": "kuskokwim-salmon-1960-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1960-2024", "species": "Chinook", "region": "Kuskokwim River", "source": "ADF&G Kuskokwim Area", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyarea.kuskokwim", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/run-timing/main/data/kuskokwim-salmon-1960-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000044", "text": "Alaska commercial fishing limited entry permits (issued by the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission \u2014 CFEC) are property rights granting exclusive access to specific fisheries. They are transferable, leasable, and can serve as loan collateral. Permit values serve as a market indicator of fishery health and profitability. Bristol Bay drift gillnet permit (S01A) values hit an all-time high of ~$248,000 median in 2022 following the record 79.8 million sockeye season. The same permits were worth as little as $42,000 in 2002 during the salmon price crash. CFEC currently administers approximately 62 limited entry fisheries. Permit values fluctuate based on expected season outcomes, salmon prices, fuel costs, and crew availability. Data from CFEC permit transfer database.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "cfec-permit-values-1975-2024.json", "data_type": "economics_overview", "year_range": "1975-2024", "source": "CFEC permit transfer database", "source_url": "https://www.cfec.state.ak.us/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/cfec-permit-values-1975-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000045", "text": "The Kenai River is the most intensively managed salmon river in the world. It flows 82 miles from Kenai Lake to Cook Inlet and supports Alaska's largest sport Chinook fishery and the largest dipnet sockeye personal-use fishery. DIDSON sonar at river mile 12 (Chinook) and mile 19 (Soldotna, sockeye) provide near-real-time escapement counts used for daily management decisions. Kenai late-run Chinook salmon (target return July-August) have an SEG of 15,000-30,000 fish. The 2012 season was a crisis year with only ~18,400 Chinook counted, triggering emergency restrictions. The Kenai also supports the largest personal-use dipnet fishery in Alaska, with thousands of families harvesting sockeye from the banks each July. Run timing has shifted approximately 5-7 days earlier over the past 40 years, a documented climate-driven change.", "metadata": {"repo": "run-timing", "file": "kenai-chinook-annual-1986-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1986-2024", "species": "Chinook/Sockeye", "region": "Kenai River", "source": "ADF&G UCR sonar program", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishresearch.upperCookInlet", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/run-timing/main/data/kenai-chinook-annual-1986-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000046", "text": "Five major USGS stream gauges on Alaska salmon rivers provide continuous flow data critical to fisheries management. The Kenai River at Soldotna (station 15266300, established 1966) is used to adjust sonar count efficiency for flow. The Copper River near Chitina (15214000, established 1951) is the largest free-flowing river in southcentral Alaska. The Yukon River at Ruby (15565447, established 1952) drains 175,000 square miles. The Kuskokwim at Bethel (15304000) monitors flows for western Alaska subsistence fisheries. The Susitna near Talkeetna (15292000, established 1949) is the longest record. High spring runoff and glacial melt events can affect sonar visibility and trigger management adjustments. Data from USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) \u2014 real-time data available at waterdata.usgs.gov.", "metadata": {"repo": "weather-hydrology", "file": "usgs-gauge-catalog.json", "data_type": "hydrology_overview", "source": "USGS NWIS", "source_url": "https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/weather-hydrology/main/data/usgs-gauge-catalog.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000047", "text": "The Pacific Salmon Treaty between the United States and Canada was signed in 1985 and governs harvests of salmon that migrate across the international boundary. When Alaska trollers catch Canadian-origin Chinook, or Canadian nets catch US-hatchery chum, the treaty ensures equitable sharing through the 'equity principle.' The treaty nearly collapsed in 1994-1999 when Alaska harvests of Canadian-origin fish far exceeded Canadian catches of US-origin fish. Renegotiation in 1999 introduced the current panel structure. The treaty was extended to 2028. Key panels: Northern Boundary (SE Alaska/BC Chinook), Transboundary Rivers (Stikine, Taku, Alsek), Fraser River sockeye, CBC Chinook, and the Chinook Technical Committee (CTC) which produces the most comprehensive stock assessment data for Pacific Chinook. Data from Pacific Salmon Commission annual reports.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "pacific-salmon-treaty-1985-2024.json", "data_type": "policy_overview", "year_range": "1985-2024", "source": "Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC)", "source_url": "https://www.psc.org/", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/pacific-salmon-treaty-1985-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000048", "text": "Alaska sport fishing harvests approximately 3.5-3.7 million salmon annually \u2014 roughly 1.5% of total commercial harvest volume but generating comparable economic value per fish due to high guide fees, gear, travel, and lodging expenditures. The Kenai River sockeye personal use dipnet fishery (separate from sport) can harvest 500,000+ additional fish annually. Alaska resident sport fishing licenses number ~340,000-360,000; non-resident licenses ~240,000-250,000. Charter saltwater fishing contributes ~120,000+ guided trips annually. The SWHS (Statewide Harvest Survey) conducted by ADF&G Division of Sport Fish is the most comprehensive sport harvest monitoring in North America, providing species-specific estimates by region since 1996. COVID-19 drove a 15%+ surge in resident fishing license sales in 2020-2021.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "sport-harvest-1960-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1960-2024", "source": "ADF&G Division of Sport Fish SWHS", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishresearch.sportfishsurveys", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/sport-harvest-1960-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000049", "text": "Subsistence fishing is legally and culturally the highest priority use of Alaska's fish and wildlife resources. Under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980, rural residents have federal subsistence priority on all federal public lands in Alaska. The ADF&G Division of Subsistence conducts annual statewide harvest monitoring through community surveys, weir counts, and permit data. Total statewide subsistence salmon harvest is estimated at ~7-8 million fish annually, with the Yukon River chum salmon run historically supporting the largest individual subsistence harvest (~2 million fish). Subsistence closures on the Yukon (2021-2022) and Kuskokwim represent the most severe food security crisis in living memory for Alaska Native communities. Federal disaster declarations have been issued for both rivers.", "metadata": {"repo": "commercial-harvest", "file": "subsistence-harvest-1994-2024.json", "data_type": "fishery_overview", "year_range": "1994-2024", "source": "ADF&G Division of Subsistence / Federal Subsistence Board", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=subsistenceresearch.main", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/commercial-harvest/main/data/subsistence-harvest-1994-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}
{"id": "afd-000050", "text": "ADF&G preseason salmon run forecasts are issued in February-March before each summer season for major Alaska fisheries. Bristol Bay sockeye forecast accuracy has improved dramatically from \u00b140-50% error in the 1960s to approximately \u00b115% with modern multi-model ensemble methods that incorporate sibling regression (abundance of 4-year-olds predicts 5-year-old returns), marine survival indices, ocean condition forecasts (SST, PDO, ENSO), and early season indicator catches. The 2018 Bristol Bay season was the most dramatic forecast failure in modern history \u2014 ADF&G forecast 37 million, actual return was 62.3 million (under by 68%). The 2022 season was similarly underforecast: 52M predicted, 79.8M actual (under by 53%). These massive under-forecasts triggered extended fishing periods with multiple additional emergency orders. Historical Bristol Bay forecast accuracy data from ADF&G Division of Commercial Fisheries 1960-2024.", "metadata": {"repo": "run-timing", "file": "preseason-forecasts-1960-2024.json", "data_type": "management_overview", "year_range": "1960-2024", "source": "ADF&G Division of Commercial Fisheries", "source_url": "https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=bristolbay.preseason", "raw_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alaskafishdata/run-timing/main/data/preseason-forecasts-1960-2024.json", "last_updated": "2026-07-29"}}