We’ll have to wait until late Feb or early March to get the Puget Sound forecast, but here are some early forecasts for other waters.
SF
SF
SF-
WDFW's 2023 wild coho forecast has been available for a couple weeks now. While it may be possible that those forecasts maybe different than the co-manager forecasts though they have gone through at least one review.
The PS 2023 forecast is 291,167 up a bit from the 2022 forecast of 266,855 and the 2021 forecast of 245,889.
Other forecasts that may interest you -
Snohomish 2023 forecast is 102,024 up from the 2022 forecast of 64,218 and the 2021 forecast of 60,000.
Hood Canal 2023 forecast of 23,895 between the 2022 forecast of 21,108 and the 2021 forecast of 30,304.
Quest 2023 forecast of 11,056 between the 2022 forecast of 18,160 and the 2021 forecast of 13,160.
If interested in other stocks or details of the wild smolt production and marine survival estimates by area the whole document can be found with a search for "2023 wild coho forecasts".
Curt
SF -
I afraid that we will have to wait until March for the hatchery forecasts.
Given that the recent status of the wild Snohomish coho has been what has limited your ability to harvest some wild coho and maybe as important the season length of your fishery in MA 9 I thought you might have been a little more excited to see those Snohomish wild numbers. But maybe I miss read your interests.
Curt
With the >100,000 wild coho return forecast the MA9 salmon season should extend into October again. Release of wild coho in MA9 should still be in place. Hopefully the salmon hatcheries actually clipped adipose fins in 2021.SF -
I afraid that we will have to wait until March for the hatchery forecasts.
Given that the recent status of the wild Snohomish coho has been what has limited your ability to harvest some wild coho and maybe as important the season length of your fishery in MA 9 I thought you might have been a little more excited to see those Snohomish wild numbers. But maybe I miss read your interests.
Curt
Fortunately adult chinook are far up the rivers by October.DimeBrite-
I agree with this forecast Traditionally a MA 9 coho season to mid-October should be in play.
The forecast is large enough to also allow harvest of wild Snohomish coho. I'm sure that will be an item of discussion in NOF, how much harvest and when and where.
One potential issue is the State now is accounting for the Chinook impacts during coho seasons which could lead to interesting discussion how best to use chinook impacts of limiting stocks.
Curt
Are Puget Sound Chinook considered Summer or Fall run fish? To my knowledge all the Puget Sound “Falls” are out of the salt before Summer ends. But I am unsure about their genotypesFortunately adult chinook are far up the rivers by October.
Sad to see chum numbers not improving. Good to see the healthy coho returns on most systems