January 04, 2014
Saturday PM

(SitNews) - Salmon will always be the heart of Alaska’s fisheries. That’s why many people think of summer as “the fishing season.” But that’s not the case.

The deep of winter is when Alaska’s largest fisheries get underway each year. On January first, hundreds of boats with hook and line gear or big pots will begin plying the waters of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska for Pacific cod, rockfish and other groundfish. Then on January 20th trawlers take to the seas to target Alaska pollock, the world’s largest food fishery with harvests near three billion pounds.

Crab boats out on the water for golden kings along the Aleutians and snow crab in the Bering Sea, Alaska’s largest crab fishery.

Early March sees the start of the eight month long halibut and sablefish seasons. March also marks the beginning of Alaska’s roe herring circuit  at Sitka Sound, and  those fisheries continue for several months all the way up the coast to Norton Sound.

And while fresh Alaska king salmon is available from Southeast trollers nearly year round, mid-May marks the official start of Alaska’s salmon season with the runs of kings and reds at the Copper River. Salmon fisheries take center stage all summer and into the fall.

Mid-October brings another of Alaska’s fishing highlights – red king crab from Bristol Bay … and so it goes, on through the end of each year, along with too many other fisheries to name.

Crab updates

Southeast crabbers ended one of their best fall/winter Dungeness fisheries ever. The fishery, which began in October, produced one million pounds for the season, even with less gear on the grounds.

“The last two years, the catch has come in at half that,” said Adam Messmer, state   assistant shellfish manager for Southeast, adding that 87 permits fished for fall dungies.

The price averaged $2.53 a pound, similar to last year, bringing the value of the catch to over $2.5 million. The Dungeness harvest from the fall and summer fisheries totaled 2.6 million pounds, well above expectations.

Switching to the Bering Sea – snow crab pots are being dropped earlier than usual. The fishery traditionally gets going in mid-January. Two reasons:  crabbers want to avoid getting closed out by sea ice – and strong demand for less crab is pushing the highest prices ever.    

Contract prices for snow crab on its way to Japan were reported at $5.50 to $5.60 for smaller sizes and $6.10 for large crab. Alaska’s total catch is 54 million pounds, down 20 percent from last year. Prices to crabbers were still being negotiated, said Jake Jacobsen of the Inter-Cooperative Exchange, a trade group.  

Fish shots

Your fishing photographs could help promote Alaska seafood around the world!  The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is again calling for images from Alaskan fishing families and fans that showcase our people, scenery and seafood.

Winners will be selected via ASMI’s Facebook “likes” in seven categories: Best Family or Kids photo, Old-school or Throwbacks, Fish, Scenic, Boat, Humor and Best Action photo.  Top winners receives an Apple iPad, and an overall grand prize Fan Favorite wins a trip for two anywhere Alaska Airlines flies.

ASMI hopes to use the photos in its marketing to provide an intimate glimpse of life in the Alaska seafood industry, and showcase the natural beauty of our state.

“Who better to capture this environment than those who are immersed in it?” said Tyson Fick, ASMI Communications Director.  

Deadline to enter is February 2; winners will be announced February 17.  Get more info and upload submissions at http://photocontest.alaskaseafood.org or contact ASMI at photo@alaskaseafood.org or (800) 478-2903.  

Fish business tally

NOAA Fisheries plans to survey all US seafood processors and bait-and-tackle shops during 2014.  Responses from mail-in surveys will be used to measure the economic impacts of these fishing businesses. According to notices in the Federal Register, more than 2,500 tackle shops and 2,000 seafood businesses will be surveyed.

Owners of tackle businesses will be asked to “characterize and quantify their operational costs and sales revenue, in addition to describing their clientele.”  Seafood processors will be asked for “plant characteristics, plant ownership, operating costs, capital costs, labor and revenue.”

This year marks the 24rd year for this weekly column that focuses on Alaska’s seafood industry. It began in 1991 in the Anchorage Daily News, and now appears in over 20 newspapers and web sites. A daily spin off – Fish Radio – airs weekdays on 30 radio stations in Alaska. My goal is to make all people aware of the economic, social and cultural importance of Alaska’s fishing industry to our state, the nation and the world. 

Laine Welch ©2014

SitNews ©2014
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

 

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