Preliminary King salmon returns in the Chilkat River drainage are estimated at less than 1000 fish, slightly less than the Alaska Department of Fish and Game 1,030 return forecast made last winter-a trend that tracks with other rivers in northern Southeast, which had the worst runs or on par with the worst runs on record.

“It’s probably going to be around 900 large spawners, which is the lowest ever since we started this in 1991,”…