In permit news: we sold a Cook Inlet drift permit at $35,000 this week, up from the last sale about a week ago at $32,500, making it the highest sale price of the year. A PWS drift permit sold at $103,000 this week, up from sales around $109,000 before the season. We sold a Kodiak Tanner to 60' permit at $70,000 this week and have an offer of $60,000 for the same. For Bristol Bay, we have offers of $192,000 (cash) and $190,000 for drift permits, which is what the last permit sold for a week ago, and asking prices starting at $200,000. We also have two offers of $75,000 for setnet permits. (Want to sell? Give us a call!)

In fishing news: a federal court in Seattle has recommended closing Southeast Alaska's Chinook fishery, pending new environmental reviews, stating that the harvest levels have been unsustainable for years, affecting both killer whale populations and Pacific Chinook salmon. A final ruling isn't expected for months to come. 

For Cook Inlet, the NPFMC discussed a new Fishery Management Plan at their meeting earlier this month, adding options to the only two remaining alternatives (the other two were found to be illegal). However, it remains to be seen whether either of the remaining alternatives, with their options, will be sufficient for the court and UCIDA's lawsuit. Seafood News has a great rundown of the current situation here. 

ADFG released the 2023 Kodiak management area salmon forecasts, predicting a "strong" pink salmon harvest, at a point estimate of 26.2 million fish (combined wild and hatchery), and a "poor" sockeye harvest of just under 1.8 million fish. ADFG also released the 2023 Togiak herring forecast, highlighting a biomass of 316,203 tons and a total allowable harvest of 63,241 tons, which is the second highest forecast since 1993 (behind 2022). And, ADFG published a Sitka Sound herring announcement, setting a guideline harvest level (GHL) for the sac roe herring fishery of 30,124 tons, and noting that the biomass is expected to be among the highest we've seen in 50 years.