Results from sampling the 2006-2009 commercial and subsistence fisheries in the western Alaska salmon stock identification project

The Western Alaska Salmon Stock Identification Project (WASSIP) was initiated in 2006 with a memorandum of understanding executed by an Advisory Panel of 11 signatories, including Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and stakeholders from throughout western Alaska. The Advisory Panel also includes a federal representative. The purpose of WASSIP is to provide a mechanism for participants to engage in a collaborative decision-making process to expend allocated funds for the purposes of identifying the stock contributions of western Alaska sockeye and chum salmon to fisheries in and around western Alaska. The Advisory Panel approved a catch sampling plan and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game implemented comprehensive sampling of chum Oncorhynchus keta and sockeye O. nerka salmon caught in most commercial and subsistence salmon fisheries in marine and estuarine areas of western Alaska where catches of chum or sockeye salmon occurred from 2006 to 2009. For WASSIP, western Alaska represents a broad geographic region including areas inland and within state-managed marine waters from Kilokak Rocks (eastern end of Chignik Area) southwest along the coast to Scotch Cap (Unimak Pass) and from Scotch Cap north along the coast to Point Hope (northern end of Kotzebue Area). This report summarizes results of fisheries sampling in the WASSIP area from 2006 to 2009. We include summaries of estimated catch (harvest), samples collected, and samples intended for DNA analysis by strata organized by geography, species, year, and temporally within years.