A Cook Inlet drift permit sold at $28,000 this week, on par with the last sale, but many expect those prices to creep up as strong reports from the fishing grounds continue to come in. Time will tell! We're starting to hear rumors of Bristol Bay drift permits selling at pretty low prices, but so far they're unconfirmed.

Speaking of low prices in Bristol Bay, Bristol Bay fishermen are outraged at the $0.50 base price Trident announced this week, which is less than half of last year's $1.15 base price. This is hitting particularly hard as fishermen are delivering larger, higher quality salmon amidst inflation and increased operating costs. The uproar has led over 100 boats to anchor up in the Naknek river to protest the abysmal prices and lack of transparency. 

Click here for ASMI's Weekly Salmon Harvest Update, which shows the statewide sockeye harvest at 78% of the projected level, keta at 49%, and the overall statewide salmon harvest at 29%. Sockeye harvest has leveled off and pinks are starting to pick up. Of note, the Area M sockeye harvest is down over 70% YTD, and anecdotally, we're hearing reports of many boats calling it quits early due to incredibly poor fishing.