Alaska
2020 Preliminary Alaska Commercial Salmon Harvest - Blue Sheet Alaska Department of Fish and Game - August 2020 The Blue Sheet reports cumulative salmon harvest during the commercial fishing season in thousands of fish. Historically, this information was updated each Friday between mid-May and September. Beginning with the 2013 season, these harvest estimates will be updated twice daily. Please note, inseason harvest estimates published in this report are preliminary and subject to change. Confidential catch information is not included in these cumulative totals. Questions about methods and individual estimates should be directed to the fishery area management biologists. https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyfisherysalmon.bluesheet Copper River Seafoods offers Alaska Salmon Day special The Cordova Times - August 14, 2020 Precautions prompted by the novel coronavirus have squashed most of the usual festivities of Alaska Wild Salmon Day, designated under a bill signed by former Gov. Bill Walker to be on Aug. 10 every year, but Copper River Seafoods is the exception. https://www.thecordovatimes.com/2020/08/14/copper-river-seafoods-offers-alaska-salmon-day-special/ National Report: COVID-19 presenting opportunity for retail seafood sales boost Seafood Source by Christine Blank -August 14, 2020 It’s no secret that United States retailers face several challenges, but a new report revealed what could drive Americans to purchase more seafood, particularly during the COVID-10 pandemic. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/foodservice-retail/covid-19-presenting-sales-boost-opportunity-for-retail-seafood How sustainability translates to the seafood industry Supermarket Perimeter by Andy Nelson - August 14, 2020 KANSAS CITY, MO. - Seafood producers and the organizations that represent them continue to take actions to ensure that the products they deliver to consumers meet the highest standards for sustainability. https://www.supermarketperimeter.com/articles/5502-how-sustainability-translates-to-the-seafood-industry International First Arrival of Bristol Bay Sockeye Wholesale Price 750 Yen/kg ($7.04/kg) SeafoodNews.com by Tom Asakawa - August 17, 2020 Newly delivered North American sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, which is a predominant supplier of the fish, was purchased in part, and the sales of frozen dressed fish in 2/4 pounds started at about 750 yen/kg ($7.04) in Japan. However, it seems that prices in Alaska have risen shortly after some contracts had concluded and that the initial sales, together with the fish from Russia, are still limited, reports Suisan Keizai. The Bristol Bay sockeye from this season was priced at CIF $2.75 to $2.80/lb packed in totes and was marketed for 750 yen/kg for the Japanese processors, according to sources. At least one of the major importers bought 500-600 tons for the time being, and the same source evaluated the trend as having a relatively calm start in recent years. However, immediately after that, processors prioritized canning and fillet production despite the abundant catch of 40 million fish. It became clear from the packer side that "the production of fish in 2-4 pounds were unexpectedly low." The offer suddenly surged to $3.00-3.25/lb. It said that once again, there is a strong possibility to postpone the business negotiations. In recent years, most of the Alaskan sockeye purchases have been of those of Bristol Bay, and the annual purchase has been roughly 5,000 tons. It seems that it will reach 2,000 tons even if other companies follow in the first purchase. As long as the local high price continues, the sources concerned are pessimistic as saying that we will only wait for the price drop for the inventory at the beginning of the next year to make an additional purchase. On the other hand, buyers of Russian fish were initially looking for a low price based on the bitter experience of disposal sales in the previous year. The stocks in Japan were running out from around July, and they made only the minimum purchases as necessary. However, the sales price in the Japanese market is about 850 yen/kg ($7.98) for East Kamchatka's S size fish, and it is over 1000 yen/kg ($9.38) for M size. "It is not cheap at all. I would only have to expect the fish from West Kamchatka," expressed a buyer in a dead block situation. Alaskan sockeye is getting smaller in size, including local fish from Cupper River and Cook Inlet. Russian fish is also predominantly S and SS sizes, and smaller fish is overwhelmingly increasing worldwide. Moreover, the catch outside Bristol Bay is meager at around 50-60% of the previous year. However, Chilean coho salmon, which drives general fillet products, is still in action. Many people are concerned about the price cuts due to the current inventory level and the expected supply of new products. Given the unprecedented harsh situation that the fish have been shipped to Japan only by the price set, but no final contracts awarded, the buyers have no reason to accept the high price of sockeye salmon. The retail sales should be sound due to "nesting demand." However, as long as the cost calculation for the raw material and sales price does not justify, the dead block circumstances for the sales of the fish from the new season will not be quickly resolved. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1178415/First-Arrival-of-Bristol-Bay-Sockeye-Wholesale-Price-750-Yen-kg-7-point-04-kg Trident Seafood’s Japan joint-venture producing crab-flavored surimi sticks Seafood Source by Chris Loew - August 13, 2020 A joint venture factory in Onagawa-cho, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan – featuring a partnership between Seattle-based Trident Seafoods Corp. and local company Takamasa Co. Ltd. – has been operating since its completion on 11 May making crab-flavored surimi sticks. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/processing-equipment/trident-seafood-s-japan-joint-venture-producing-crab-flavored-surimi-sticks Labeling and Marketing #3MMI - Current State of Sockeye & Chum Salmon Market TradexFoods - August 17, 2020 As Alaska's Sockeye season winds down, fishermen were able to bring in over 44 million fish - a level similar to the long-term average.However, as we report this, once-frozen Sockeye fillets continue to be in very limited supply and pricing is significantly higher than last year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFA8ZBukk1I&feature=emb_logo FYI’s Salmon shares: Fishermen donate 45,000 pounds to communities in need National Fisherman by Jessica Hathaway - August 13, 2020 This week, two community supported fisheries announced a plan to give back to Alaska communities in need. Alaskans Own and Northline Seafoods are teaming up to deliver 45,000 pounds of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon to Alaska Native villages experiencing record-low salmon returns this year. The announcement follows on the heels of SeaShare's announcement that its donation requests to food banks and other hunger-relief efforts have skyrocketed this year. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/alaska/salmon-shares-fishermen-donate-45-000-pounds-to-communities-in-need
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