A near-record harvest of hatchery-raised chum salmon rocked the commercial fishery last week, but a paltry showing of Chilkoot Lake sockeyes is putting a damper on that news.

About 150 boats in lower Lynn Canal netted an average 3,133 chums each, making the week’s fishing worth about $19,000 per boat on average, on chums alone.

Strong catches in other fishing areas dispersed the fleet, resulting in more fish for local fishermen.

Preliminary reports from Fish and Game this week were that about 80 boats harvested 200,000 chum in Lynn Canal, a boat average of around $15,000.

So far, Chilkoot sockeye are returning in numbers less than half than was projected.