Outlook is bright for Cook Inlet sockeye

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today issued the 2011 sockeye salmon forecast for Upper Cook Inlet, and the numbers look strong.

The projected harvest total for all user groups is 4.4 million to 4.8 million fish. That's well above the 20-year average harvest of 3.8 million.

Last year's total harvest for all user groups was 3.6 million sockeye on a preason forecast of 2.3 million.