Dear Clients and Friends of Blue Summit,
I’ve returned safely and am in high spirits from another season in Bristol Bay. We had a spectacular year with 2022 being the largest recorded run in the history of the fishery with over 75 million fish. We thought last year was a banner year at 65 million!
It was a year to marvel at the power of nature. I’ve been in Bristol Bay for 12 seasons and this year’s run was far and away the most exciting one I’ve ever seen. It was not without it’s ups and downs though…we had a major transmission failure that put us out of the water for 5 days during the peak of the season. We also had some combinations of big seas and heavy fishing which really tested the limit of our vessel, but we made it through safely.
I always get a few questions about how the fishery is managed, so here is a link on some of the science behind Bristol Bay. For those interested in ecology, here’s a beautifully shot video explaining the unique natural history that influences Bristol Bay’s salmon populations. Here’s a quote from the filmmaker Jason Ching “I hope that people watching it gain an understanding of how the intact salmon habitats of Bristol Bay work and a general appreciation for one of the most pristine and healthy ecosystems we have in the world.”
I greatly enjoyed my time in Alaska but I’m looking forward to working with all of you again!