Wrangell Sentinel -

The 64 million salmon returning home to Alaska hatcheries accounted for nearly one-third of the 2021 statewide commercial harvest. It was the eighth-largest hatchery homecoming since 1977. At a payout of $142 million, the salmon produced 25% of the overall value at the dock.

An additional 220,000 salmon that got their start in a hatchery were caught in Alaska sport, personal use and subsistence fisheries.

Counting the fish taken at the hatcheries for brood stock, nearly 69 million adult hatchery salmon returned last year, according to the annual salmon enhancement report by the Alaska Depar...