November 9, 2026 — Alaska’s commercial salmon harvest fell sharply in 2026, but stronger prices helped push the fishery’s preliminary ex-vessel value to $648 million, a 20 percent increase over the previous year, according to figures released Nov. 4 by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
Commercial fishermen harvested approximately 99 million salmon statewide, down 49 percent from the 195 million fish landed in 2025. Despite the decline in volume, the fishery generated an estimated $107 million more in ex-vessel value than the previous year’s $541 million.
ADF&G attributed the increase in value to improved average prices per pound across all salmon species, which helped offset the smaller harvest.
The department had anticipated a substantial decline in landings this year, largely because of the natural abundance cycle of pink salmon. In recent decades, Alaska’s pink salmon returns have generally been stronger in odd-numbered years and weaker in even-numbered years, although the pattern varies by region.