Bristol Bay 2025: Where the Sockeye Still Run Wild

Each summer, a pulse of life returns to Alaska’s wildest waters.

Bristol Bay, home to the largest sockeye salmon run on Earth, is once again preparing to welcome tens of millions of fish returning from their years at sea. According to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, 51 million sockeye salmon are projected to return this season. But beyond the numbers lies something deeper—an intact ecosystem that still works the way nature intended.

Two fisherman shaking hands from their respective boats

For those of us at Pride of Bristol Bay, this is more than just a fishery. It’s a living, breathing example of what’s possible when science, stewardship, and sustainable harvest come together. It’s also where our owner, Captain Steve Kurian, has returned for his 24th season fishing the sockeye run.

This year, Steve made the long journey from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, to the Naknek River, where the F/V Ava Jane, his 32-foot gillnetter, has been carefully maintained for another summer on the bay. The crew consists of two returning deckhands, Zach and Layton, and two new-to-the-boat deckhands, Elijah and Hunter. For the next forty days, they’ll live entirely aboard the Ava Jane—working with the tides, sleeping in shifts, and harvesting just a fraction of the run under the careful watch of state biologists.

It’s important to understand that this fishery operates unlike many others. The health of the sockeye run comes first. Biologists monitor the rivers and set strict escapement goals, ensuring that enough fish make it upstream to spawn. Only once those goals are met are fishermen permitted to harvest the surplus. This is conservation-based management at its finest—and it’s why Bristol Bay remains one of the most prolific and sustainable fisheries in the world.

Wild waters rushing up and onto the boat while the fishermen are trying to get the sockeye off of the gillnet

For us, bringing these sockeye to you is more than a business—it’s a way to connect people to the land and waters that produce their food. Each case of wild sockeye we deliver is a story of cold rivers, clean oceans, hardworking hands, and a fish that beat the odds.

In an era when wild places are increasingly under pressure, Bristol Bay stands as a model of resilience. It’s a place where the fish still return in force. Where communities still fish with intention. And where conservation isn’t just a talking point—it’s a way of life.

We’ll be sharing stories and photos from the 2025 season as it unfolds—from life aboard the Ava Jane to updates on the run itself. We invite you to follow along and learn more about this incredible region, and the role we all play in keeping it wild and productive for generations to come.

Thank you for being part of the Pride. Preordering for our 2025 Sockeye catch will begin in July!