April 14, 2021 — Herring sac roe harvests have begun winding down in Southeast Alaska and Kodiak, leaving the remaining fishery in Togiak for what used to be an early shot in the arm for seiners before salmon season started. While herring returns have increased in recent years, the market has fallen in size and value.
This year in Sitka, the herring sac roe fishery began March 27 and closed April 9 at 6 p.m. Preliminary estimates from processors put the total harvest at approximately 16,000 tons of herring. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game continue to conduct surveys as part of their stock assessment research. On April 12, the the cumulative estimate of observed herring spawn in Sitka Sound was 83.2 nautical miles.