Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

Gillnetting season opened over the weekend with strong prices and high hopes among fishermen.

"I’m optimistic because in the past we’ve been strong in hatchery chums," said skipper Norm Hughes. "There were fish out there. We had a strong first week and I believe we’ll have an average year."

He said prices are about 12 cents higher than last year with chums getting 85 cents a pound and sockeye getting $1.60 a pound.

Randy Bachman of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commercial Fishing Division said there were about 90 boats fishing in District 15 Lynn Canal for the opener, an above average showing. While he was still waiting on firm numbers, he said the chum catches were slightly above average and sockeye slightly below.

"Mostly because everyone is trying to catch chum," he said.

He said fishermen can expect similar open management areas as last year’s in both the upper and lower districts, with a six-inch minimum net mesh outside the Boat Harbor Terminal Harvest Area.