Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Commercial fisheries in Upper Cook Inlet are also getting more time to harvest the late run of sockeye to the Kenai and Kasilof rivers.

The Upper Cook Inlet salmon return is beginning to take shape and escapement goals look well within reach for both Kenai and Kasilof river sockeye. But that hasn’t translated to big harvests for commercial fishermen.

Sockeye salmon are still pouring into the Russian river, but the real big fishery on the Kenai Peninsula will get started Wednesday.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game began counting the early run a couple weeks ago and as of Wednesday, 343 chinook had gone past sonar counters. That number is on pace with two of the last three years. The early return was a little higher at this point last year.