This one is going to be relatively short, but since the last update, we’ve seen another 500 hatchery Chinook Salmon bound for the upper Salmon River (Sawtooth and Yankee Fork stocks) cross over Bonneville Dam. This brings the season total to nearly 3,500 adults. We’re on the back half of the run, and still expect to see more, but at this point the majority are over Bonneville Dam.
Most importantly, the IDFG commission will be meeting via conference call on June 13th to review proposals for Chinook fisheries in the upper Salmon River, South Fork Salmon River, and the Lochsa River. Our current proposal for the upper Salmon River is to open the fishery on Thursday June 22nd, from just above the East Fork Salmon River upstream to the posted boundary near Sawtooth Hatchery. Please check the IDFG website for more information and the results of the meeting
As far as the current status of the run, and what harvest shares might look like if a fishery is approved, about 2,250 (~66%) of the upper Salmon River Chinook that’s over Bonneville, have made it over Lower Granite Dam as well. Survival from Bonneville to Granite has been good, and better than average (~85% in 2023 vs 70% over the past 5 years). Based on these numbers, harvest share should land somewhere around 900 fish if a fishery is approved.
