Unalaska, AK – Sockeye salmon are finally starting to cross the weir at Reese Bay. The peak so far was 600 fish on June 22. The most recently reported data is from June 24, which says 2,000 total fish have crossed the weir. But by this time last year, 6,000 had passed through. This does not include the number of fish in Reese Bay itself. U.S. Fish and Wildlife fishery biologist Derek Hildreth says he isn't sure why the fish are running two weeks late.

"To be honest with you, anybody's guess would be as good as mine," he says. "The number of factors that go into fish runs and when they come and how large they are there's a lot of them. And being able to point to exactly which one it could be, it's just a crap shoot."

Despite this, he says a number of issues, including low water temperatures, could be affecting the run. "The water temp may have an effect on it, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is the effect," he explains. "It could be many things changes in ocean currents, reductions in the amount of food. It could be fish decided to hold off for a year. Sometimes they do that."

The weir crew at Reese Bay will continue counting fish until the end of July or when the run stops.