Prince William Sound Herring Watch

Home
United States
Cordova, AK
Prince William Sound Herring Watch

Welcome! This page serves as a central location for herring sightings in Prince William Sound.

04/29/2026

On 4/26 there was evidence of spawn activity south of Stockdale Harbor near Gilmour Point and in the cutoff. Areas of dissipating milt were observed in both areas. One patch of light active spawn was seen on the coast between Yelpers Cove and Double Bay.

Survey results are also available at the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/26/2026

No active spawning on yesterday’s survey (4/25). A few small schools observed and one medium school.

Survey results are also available at the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/25/2026

The sound has been pretty quiet. The most recent survey was flown on 4/21 and saw one bit of active light spawn near the cutoff with some schools observed in the area and closer to Canoe Pass. Spawn at Kayak has ceased.

Survey results are also available at the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/20/2026

Spawn continued at Kayak Island and in the Tatitlek area on 4/15's survey.

Active heavy, medium, and light spawning occurred on the northeast corner and on both coasts of the Island. Schools of various sizes remained in the area. To date, there has been 20.58 mile-days of milt at Kayak Island.

Near Tatitlek Narrows, spawn activity increased from 4/14 to 4/15. Active light spawn was observed around Black Point. Active Heavy and medium spawn was observed at Virgin Bay. Active Medium and light spawn continued near the airport. Active heavy, medium, and light spawn started up at the mouth of Boulder Bay near the dock. To date, PWS has had 15.23 mile-days of milt.

Survey results are also available on the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/.../53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4da...

04/15/2026

Active spawn at Tatitlek and Kayak Island 4/14/26.

Yesterday (4/14) active light to heavy spawn was sighted in Virgin Bay and near the Tatitlek airport. Schools of various sizes in the area.

Kayak Island spawn is starting to kick off as well. Active light to heavy spawn sighted along the west coast and the northeast corner. Active medium spawn activity on the east coast. Lots of schools of various sizes staging in the area.

Survey results are also available on the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/14/2026

Active spawn continued near Red Head and expanded into Knowels Bay and further into Port Gravina along the northwestern coast on 4/10. By 4/11 the spawn was lessening in intensity with more drift visable off shore. On 4/13 the event in the Red Head area had ceased but quite a few schools of various sizes were sighted in Tatitlek Narrows. Schools of smaller sizes were also seen at Bligh Island.

The spawn event near Red Head amounted to 11.03 mile-days of milt.

The R/V Solstice was last in Port Etches. Samples collected in the area indicate fish there still have a while before spawning.

Survey results are also available on the Department’s online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/10/2026

Active spawn happening at Red Head 4/9/26!

Active heavy and medium spawn sighted today along the shores of Red Head. Some spawn has started to drift off the coast as well. Many large schools of herring in the area.

Additionally, herring schools of various sizes were sighted at Bligh Island.

To view more photos from the aerial survey, visit the Department's interactive map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/08/2026

Attached are the results from the department's aerial surveys for herring activity in Prince William Sound on 4/5 and 4/6. No active spawn sighted.

4/5
Weather conditions during the survey were very marginal with mixed snow and rain, resulting in a low ceiling. This led the department to fly an abbreviated survey route to check areas of greatest likelihood for herring activity. A large amount of herring were observed in St. Matthews Bay presenting as a long, continuous ribbon along the western coastline running nearly the entire length of the bay and curling outwards at the head of the bay, where a few large discrete schools were also seen.

4/6
Conditions were excellent with low wind, clear skies, and excellent visibility. The herring seen the previous day in St. Matthews were no longer visible in the area.

Sea lion presence was noticeably increasing in the Tatitlek and Bligh Island areas, with a large group of around 45 observed north of Virgin Bay near Black Point. 27 sea lions were also seen at Cedar Bay on the north coast of Hawkins Island.

Survey results are also available on the ADF&G online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/05/2026

Below are the results from ADF&G's latest aerial survey for herring activity in Prince William Sound on 4/3/26.

A report of spawn activity in Virgin Bay near Tatitlek was received. The department flew a survey of eastern Prince William Sound in response. No herring schools or spawn were observed. The report from Virgin Bay was likely a small spot spawn event that left little evidence.

Marine mammal presence was similar to previous surveys: numerous small rafts of sea lions were present throughout Port Gravina and extending to Knowles Head. 1 humpback whale was observed at Red Head, and 2 humpbacks were seen off of Knowles Head.

The R/V Solstice remains busy with its ASL (Age, S*x, Length) sampling. After returning to Cordova for a few days last week to let fish build up, they found numerous medium-sized schools near Cedar Bay. Next, they moved on to Fidalgo and found a few larger schools. The fish being sampled are of mixed age classes.

Survey results are also available on the department's online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

04/02/2026

No herring schools or spawn were observed during yesterday's aerial survey (4/1/26).

Marine mammal presence was similar to previous surveys so far this season, primarily concentrated in Sheep Bay and Port Gravina, in similar numbers. 1 humpback whale was seen near the Hell’s Hole area. A few sea lions are showing up around Tatitlek/Bligh/Boulder Bay, but still small in numbers. 1 humpback whale was seen in the mouth of Landlocked Bay. Port Etches was quiet, plenty of sea lions on the haulouts at Porpoise Rocks, but nothing in the bay. 13 sea lions and ~10 harbor seals were observed along the northern shore of Hawkins Island.

Survey results are also available on the Department's online Prince William Sound Herring Interactive Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/53d54699cbf54e72aa1a4daf405076b7?org=adfg

Address

PO Box 705
Cordova, AK
99573

Telephone

+1 907-424-5800

Website

https://pwssc.org/research/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Prince William Sound Herring Watch posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Prince William Sound Herring Watch:

Want your university to be the top-listed university in Cordova?