Sustainability
The pristine waters of the Copper River, Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound support healthy, sustainable runs of all five Pacific salmon species - from the mighty Chinook and robust Sockeye starting in mid-May to the delicate yet complex flavor of our Coho in the fall. The Copper River and Prince William Sound salmon runs are all carefully managed for long-term sustainability by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. ADF&G monitors sonar counters and fish wheels at several points along the Copper River and count each salmon heading up the river to ensure an adequte number migrate to spawning grounds to reproduce each year. ADF&G biologists also perform aerial surveys of fishing grounds to count the number of migrating fish throughout the season. When fishery managers see that enough salmon have escaped past the sonars (called escapement), they open the fishing grounds for commercial fishing for a determined amount of time. Early season openers are shorter, usually 12 to 24 hours, and get longer as the season progresses, up to 48 to 72 hours long.