Author: Mark J. Witteveen

Publisher:

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, has assessed the annual run of Buskin River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) on Kodiak Island, Alaska, since 1990. Buskin River sockeye salmon weir counts were 4,284, 12,297, 7,741, and 2,330 fish for 2018–2021, respectively. Weir counts for Lake Louise were 83, 73, 53, and 1,896 sockeye salmon for 2018–2021, respectively. Reported annual subsistence harvests for the Buskin River Section were 474, 836, and 1,620 sockeye salmon for 2018–2020, respectively; accurate harvest is not available for 2021 at this time. In interviews conducted with 11 subsistence users in 2019, 100% reported that the Buskin River was a traditional fishing location, and 73% reported that they subsistence fished in other areas. Interviews were not conducted in 2018 due to a low run or in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. Enumerated sockeye salmon spawning escapement for the entire drainage (Buskin Lake and Louise Lake weirs) was 4,367, 12,370, 7,794, and 4,226 fish for 2018–2021, respectively. Based on a Bayesian spawner–recruitment analysis of the Buskin Lake system, estimated spawning escapement for maximum sustained yield is about 5,700 fish (95% credibility interval = 4,300–8,000). A sustained yield probability analysis supports the current Buskin Lake system biological escapement goal (BEG) range of 5,000–8,000 sockeye salmon. Age-1.2, -1.3, -2.2, and -2.3 sockeye salmon composed 93–99% of the Buskin River run. Male to female ratios for the Buskin River were between 0.6 and 1.1 to 1 for 2018–2021. Samples taken from the Lake Louise sockeye salmon run and the subsistence harvest were too low to provide reliable estimates of age and sex composition.