The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced this summer’s first Southeast Alaska purse seine fishery opener.

Areas in District 2 and District 12 will be open 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Sunday, June 15 through Wednesday, June 18.

An ADFG press release states the 2104 chum salmon return to Hidden Falls Terminal Harvest Area (THA) is 1,072,000.

“Of this return, 180,000 are needed for brood stock leaving 892,000 available for common property harvest,” the press release states.

King salmon landing restrictions for Kendrick Bay state fish greater than 28 inches in length and those less than 21 inches long may be retained or sold. Fish which are in-between those lengths may be retained but not sold.

“All King salmon harvested in Hidden Falls, Anita Bay and Neets Bay THAs may be retained and sold. All King Salmon harvested in the Deep Inlet THA must be retained, reported on fish tickets and may be sold,” the press release states.

ADFG is expecting a 67 percent decrease in this year’s commercial pink salmon harvest compared to the record breaking 226 million state-wide pink harvest in 2013.

Southeast fishermen harvested a record breaking 94.8 million fish valued at around $125 million for all gear types last year.

“After last year’s huge pink salmon run, I know that everyone is adjusting their sights because our forecast is quite a bit lower this year,” said Dan Gray, Sitka ADFG Biologist.

This year’s pink salmon harvest forecast is estimated at around 22 million—below the recent ten-year average of 41 million pinks.