JUNEAU -- Federal officials are proposing to let fish farmers claim Alaska coastal waters and start farming despite a state ban on the practice. The U.S. Department of Commerce wants to make fish farming possible in federal waters across America, from three to 200 miles offshore. Alaska has banned fish farming in state waters -- within three miles of shore -- because it worries that the farms will spread disease and parasites and that the produce will compete with the wild fish that support the fishing industry. More

'Alaska Seafood' Reputation Growing

by Laine Welch
For the Alaska Journal of Commerce

The name "Alaska Seafood" ranks second among the top 500 restaurant chains in the United States in terms of menu appearances and overall visibility. That's up a notch from just two years ago, according to findings released this month by Data Essential Research, an independent firm that tracks restaurant trends every few years for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. More

Western Alaska Salmon Runs Finally Rebounding

Associated Press
Juneau Empire, June 21

King and chum salmon appear to be making a healthy comeback in Western Alaska, defusing tensions over commercial fishing in Area M far to the south.
Fishing the Kuskokwim River has been so good that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Friday eliminated the controversial weekly subsistence closures for the rest of the summer. More


Fillets Jump-Starting Alaska Salmon Industry?

By Laine Welch
For the Alaska Journal of Commerce

After several years of little or no growth, Alaska salmon producers are getting serious about fillets. The state Department of Revenue reports 14 million pounds of fillet production in 2003 - 12.9 million pounds frozen and 1.2 million pounds fresh. That's 4 million pounds higher than 1998-2002 averages, and well above the 1999 peak of 11.7 million pounds The notable trend toward the frozen product is an exciting turn for Alaska in the U.S. market.

Commercial
Fishing News

Market Update

by Andy Golia
BBNA Economic Development Program
May 12, 2004

Expanded Harvest Area Approved

In February 2004, the Alaska Board of Fisheries approved extending Bristol Bay’s outer fishing boundaries to 3-miles offshore from Cape Menshikof (below Ugashik) to the bell buoy located on the Nushagak across to Protection Point (including all the commercial fishing districts of Nushagak, Naknek/Kvichak, Egegik, and Ugashik). The extended fishing area will open at 9:00 a.m. on June 7, 2004, and close on or about June 25, 2004 by emergency order, or when 10% (or 3.4 million) of the sockeye forecast has been harvested. It will be closed immediately if the Kvichak district shows signs of a weak sockeye return.

The area outside of the regular terminal districts will have openings by emergency order between June 7 and June 25, 2004. The department plans to have a 5-day per week fishing schedule for the first two weeks beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday, June 7 through 12:00 a.m. (midnight) Friday, June 11, and from 9:00 a.m. Monday, June 14 through 12:00 a.m. (midnight), Friday, June 18. After June 18, the department will assess further openings.

Regulations pertaining to the expanded harvest area, including other regulatory changes to Brsitol Bay’s commercial salmon fishery can be found on the Internet at ADF&G's website.

Permit Stacking to be Allowed

The Alaska Board of Fisheries approved a permit-stacking regulation that would take effect this summer and enable two Bristol Bay drift permit holders to fish on one boat and utilize up to 200 fathoms of gear (instead of the typical one permit and 150 fathoms allowed). Both permit holders must be physically present on the boat when it is commercially fishing with 200 fathoms. Fishermen who choose to use 2 permits for additional gear must have the letter D after their vessel ADF&G number of the same size and dimension. This regulation would sunset in year, at which time the Board will review its results and decide whether or not to continue the regulation.

Processing Capacity Survey Results

In March 2004, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game completed a processing capacity survey among Bristol Bay sockeye buyers who plan to buy in 2004. The survey indicates that buyers will be about to process about 25.3 million sockeye out of the forecasted 34.7 million return. This leaves 9.4 million sockeye salmon that Bay buyers would not be able to handle. If the run comes in strong as forecasted, and every district does well during the peak, fishermen can expect to be placed on catch limits per day or be told not to fish until the processors are able to receive more fish.

Foreign Buyers Not Interested

In response to the 10-million sockeye surplus, the Bristol Bay Native Association passed a resolution on March 16, 2004 that Chairman Fred T. Angasan physically presented to Governor Murkowski. The resolution urged him to issue an Internal Waters Processing permit to a foreign buyer for the 2004 Bay fishing season. Since then, BBNA has contacted a number of foreign fish companies. There has been very little response to BBNA’s letters, faxes, and emails to the companies. One buyer expressed an interest, however recently decided against it.

Area M Fishery

The Alaska Board of Fisheries has substantially liberalized the Area M fishery (at times, called the False Pass intercept fishery) on the interception of Western Alaska and Bristol Bay bound chum, coho, and sockeye salmon. The Board is allowing the fishery 290% more fishing time. When salmon stocks are funneling through False Pass, the salmon are believed to be mixed Western Alaska and Bristol Bay salmon stocks. Because the stocks are mixed, no one knows if discreet stocks from a particular spawning area are being intercepted to a point where it would negatively impact returns to that area.

The governor has given his commitment that ADF&G management biologists will closely monitor the fishery this upcoming season as to prevent potential wastage and over fishing in the area.

Canned Sockeye Market Down Slightly

In response to weak Japanese sockeye prices, one local shore-based processing plant plans to put more sockeye salmon into tins. Peter Pan Seafoods plans to install another ½-pound canning line in their Dillingham plant this upcoming spring. Despite lower inventory levels of canned reds on the market, prices have dropped. Per the March 2004 issue of Pacific Fishing in an article entitled “A Changing Market”, it states British canned red consumption is down. The article states that case prices for 48-tall red salmon in Britain dropped to $97 per case, down by $2.00 per case in 2002.

Exchange Rates Favorable

There’s good news about exchange rates. Per the January/February 2004 issue of the Salmon Market Bulletin, the exchange rate between the U. S. dollar and the Europe and Japan currencies shows a weakened U. S. dollar. The report indicates that the January 2004 average of 106 Yen per dollar dropped 11 percent from January 2003. In Europe, the decline was more evident for the Euro dollar – averaging .79 Euro dollars per U. S. dollar, dropping by 16 percent from January 2003. That means both Japanese and European salmon buyers would pay less for imported frozen and canned salmon as compared to last year.

Salmon Processing Breakthrough:

There’s good news on the marketing front. U. S. Senator Lisa Murkowski announced at the eve of the Kodiak Comm-Fish trade show that research on a salmon processing technique has a good chance of “revolutionizing salmon markets in a couple of years.” She issued a press release that states “over a four-year period the Department of Defense, Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, and several private sector companies, including Ocean Beauty Seafoods, have developed a high-powered microwave sterilization process that can produce high quality, shelf-stable products, at far less in costs than traditional canning.”

When using the new processing technique, the products need no refrigeration, and can be eaten hot or cold. This new processing technology is expected to become available on the market by next year, and researchers say it will provide a “quantum leap in food quality.” Lowering processing costs will be a big help to the industry, and adding shelf life to salmon products will provide extended sales and greater returns overtime for them.

2004 Togiak Herring:

The Togiak herring season recently wrapped up with a total harvest of close to 19,000 tons. Seiners harvested 13,800 tons, or 78% of their 17,658 ton quota. Gillnetters caught 5,150 tons, or 68% of their 7,568 ton quota. Prior to the start of the fishery, one buyer confirmed that their company plans to pay $150 per ton for Togiak herring. Two gillnetters who recently returned from the fishery indicated their company will be advancing $50 per ton to them.

2004 Bristol Bay Halibut:

Unlike salmon and herring prices, halibut prices continue to remain strong. Per the latest Alaska Fishermen’s Journal, halibut prices being paid in Homer are ranging between $3.00 per pound to $3.20 per pound. The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation manages the local CDQ halibut fishery, and had a deadline of March 31, 2004 for submittal of Bristol Bay CDQ halibut permit applications.