Data compiled by its member countries during the 21st annual meeting of the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission shows that Pacific salmon abundance in the North Pacific remains at near record high levels, the NOAFC said in late November.

The meeting took place Nov. 12-15 in an email format for the first time in the commission's history, with 71 participants from NPAFC member countries Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States.

The vast majority of North Pacific salmon originate from NPAFC member countries, the organization said in comments from Vancouver, British Columbia headquarters.

Initial North Pacific-wide 2013 commercial catch data indicate catches of 313,800 tons of pink salmon in Alaska, 241,292 tons in Russia and 13,171 tons in Canada, plus catches of 101,395 tons of chum salmon in Russia and 65,120 tons in Alaska. Catches of Chinook salmon remain at low levels, with reported landings of 1,640 tons in Alaska, 512 tons in Russia and 214 tons in Canada.

The 2013 commercial catches are preliminary estimates and are incomplete because some regions had not finished their fishery seasons at the time of compilation, the NPAFC said.

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