Prices for during the early openers were in the $3.50 per pound range for sockeye and approximately $6.50 per pound for king salmon. More than 30,000 sockeye were harvested in each of the two following openers, but the typical early season peak in daily sockeye escapement counts never materialized, which has forced managers to close commercial fishing since June 1.As of June 15, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game had counted 245,645 sockeye at the Miles Lake sonar and approximately 53,000 of those fish, or more than 20 percent of the total escapement, had been counted in the past four days.The Prince William Sound chum harvest of 221,000 fish was off 14 percent from 2019 as of June 14 as well, according to the ASMI data.“We are definitely managing for a different set of stocks than we were before,” Botz said, noting there are more than 100 distinct sockeye stocks throughout the Copper drainage and nearby systems that contribute to the overall fishery.Through June 15 nearly 5,000 sockeye and 42,000 chum had been harvested at the Coghill River and another 41,000 had been caught in the Eshamy-Main Bay District, according to ADFG figures.The Copper River District fleet harvested approximately 1.2 million sockeye last year.According to all-gear harvest data compiled by the research firm McDowell Group for the Alaska Seafood Marketing institute the overall Prince William Sound sockeye harvest — including the Copper River District — was off 82 percent from last year with approximately 114,000 fish caught through June 14, compared to a harvest of 646,000 sockeye by the same date a year ago.ADFG’s sustainable escapement goal range for the Copper River is 360,000 to 750,000 sockeye. Daily fish passage. It’s just too soon to know for sure.Cordova District Fishermen United Executive Director Chelsea Haisman said the fishery has been disappointing so far, but fishermen understand the need to restrict time and allow for adequate fish passage into the river.According to Botz, ground prices for the prized Copper River salmon have improved somewhat from initial low prices of $3.25 per pound for sockeye and $6.25 per pound for chinook, but only to the $4 per pound range for sockeye and nearly $7 per pound for chinook. Email him: elwood.brehmer@alaskajournal.comAlaska Department of Fish and Game biologists appear to have correctly predicted a smaller than normal 2020 Copper River sockeye run, but it is shaping up to be even less than expected.The department’s official forecast estimated a commercial sockeye harvest of 771,000 fish versus a harvest of 1.2 million sockeye last year.The Copper River sockeye run has improved after an abysmal start, but not enough for managers to allow for normal fishing periods in the famed early season fishery.The low sockeye escapement figures continue despite managers closing the regular, 12-hour Thursday fishing periods during the second and third weeks of the fishery. These estimates are collected by Division of Commercial Fisheries; Southeast Management Areas Sport Fish Fishing Reports contain harvest-per-effort statistics. The sonars were turned off on June 11th and the camp removed. The platform is deployed about a half mile from the camp and transmits its data by wireless link.Copyright Prince William Sound Science Center 2016. FISH PASSAGE SUMMARIES: Hourly fish passage.