On April 3rd, a comprehensive aerial survey was conducted across Sitka Sound, extending from Crawfish Inlet to Salisbury Sound and Shoals Point, in search of herring schools. Despite the extensive search, no visible herring schools were detected from the air during the survey. The areas around the Magoun Islands, St. John Baptist Bay, Eastern Bay, Sandy Cove, Redoubt Bay, and near Frosty Reef were the focus of the survey, where approximately 3.5 nautical miles of herring spawn were observed.
This recent observation contributes to a cumulative total of 72.0 nautical miles of herring spawn noted in the area since March 23. In addition, the fishery harvest on April 2nd brought in approximately 815 tons of herring, contributing to a significant total of 12,992 tons of herring harvested since March 22.
The Sitka Sound herring sac roe fishery continues to be open for daily operations from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., encompassing diverse zones within Sitka Sound. These include areas from Salisbury Sound to Sukoi Inlet and other specific locations defined by latitude and longitude coordinates. The defined fishing boundaries and operation times are subject to change based on further announcements.
Authorities have scheduled the next aerial survey and fishery update for Thursday, April 4th, ensuring ongoing monitoring of the situation. The community and interested parties can access all aerial herring survey data online. This digital platform provides an interactive map application that features detailed spawn lines and photographic evidence from the surveys.
