Sport salmon regulations in Southeast Alaska follow a well defined sequence: The Abundance Index (AI) projects the strength of the run. Once determined, the AI plugs into the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan (Plan) and out comes our regulations. Managers enjoy very limited latitude within The Plan.
The AI is a complicated formula with a dozens, if not hundreds, of inputs. It takes the technical teams from the U.S. and Canada until late March or early April to render the final number for the coming season. At that point we know the resultant king regulations. The intense secrecy surrounding the AI has yet to be penetrated by Wiki Leaks or Edward Snowden, but we’re venturing an educated guess based on some of the some leading indicators that are currently showing an upward.