April 15, 2026 — A draft report by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game indicates a lower statewide harvest of 125.5 million salmon this season, compared to last year’s tally of 194.8 million fish. That adds up to 69.3 million fewer salmon, a decline of nearly 36 percent.
The preliminary data show drops in all projected catches except for Chinook salmon.
Comparisons by species show that for 2026, the projected Chinook harvest is pegged at 197,000 compared to 181,892 in 2025.
For sockeye salmon, the harvest forecast of nearly 50 million compares to more than 52.6 million last year.
Coho catches are expected to top 2.4 millon, down from nearly 2.5 million.