Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture

2. Chinook - SSRAA programs are established to enhance and rehabilitate salmon production in southern Southeast Alaska to the optimum social and economic benefit of salmon users. The expenditures related to producing returning adult salmon is accomplished through operation of seven hatcheries and six remote release sites. The Southeast Alaska commercial salmon fleets are the largest benefactors catching SSRAA salmon. In 2024 there were 278 SE seine permit holders, 472 SE drift gillnet permit holders, 866 State hand troll permit holders, and 953 State power troll permit holders. Each of these fishermen is an independent small business. In addition to the commercial fleets there are several hundred commercial sport charter businesses, non-guided resident sport fishermen, personal use fisherman, and subsistence fisherman benefiting from SSRAA salmon returns. The 2024 SSRAA chinook smolt release was 2,800,300 million.From the releases of SSRAA chinook smolts returning as adults the chinook salmon program generated $2,272,700 in exvessel value to the commercial fleet in 2023. The wholesale value to regional communities is approximately twice that amount. SSRAA chinook returns also have a strong positive impact on local sport, personal use, and subsistence opportunity.