Monday, May 20, 2024
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Alaska With season opening, Alaska forecasts a significantly smaller salmon harvest in 2024 Seafood Source by Nathan Strout - May 17, 2024 Alaska's 2024 salmon season officially opened on Thursday, 16 May, with the kickoff of the Copper River sockeye fishery. https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/alaska-forecasts-a-significantly-smaller-salmon-harvest-in-2024 Commerce Secretary Announces Fishery Resource Disaster Determination for the Bering Sea Snow Crab Fishery The Secretary determined that a fishery resource disaster occurred in the Bering Sea commercial snow crab fishery. NOAA Fisheries - May 17, 2024 The Secretary of Commerce has determined that a fishery resource disaster occurred in the 2023–2024 Bering Sea snow crab fishery in Alaska. The determination is in response to requests from Saint Paul, Alaska Mayor Jacob Merculief, and Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/commerce-secretary-announces-fishery-resource-disaster-determination-bering-sea-snow Catches Are Up in the Copper River; Cordova’s Fleet Gets A Second 12-Hour Opener Today SeafoodNews.com by Peggy Parker - May 20, 2024 Alaska’s first wild Chinook and sockeye salmon began showing up at the mouth of the Copper River last week, and catches were nearly three times the forecast for the season’s first opener, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.ADF&G’s harvest forecast for the commercial fleet in 2024 is 1.3 million sockeye and 47,350 Chinook. Their preliminary catch estimate for the May 16 opener was 14,900 sockeye. Instead, 43,000 sockeye were landed, and 1,000 Chinook.The fleet is fishing a second opener today that was announced last weekend — another 12 hours starting at 7 a.m.Since 2021 ADF&G's forecasts have been close or just under actual annual catch for the Copper River. Last year's harvest of 810,000 wild sockeye was four years after the highest catch since 2015, and likely came from the 2019 year-class, which came from two very high runs in 2014 and 2015.The sockeye season on the Copper and Bering Rivers, on Alaska’s central coast, continue throughout the summer followed by coho salmon in the early fall. But it is the first wild Alaska salmon of the year that captures everyone’s attention, including consumers.This year for the first time, the regional marketing groups for the Copper River - Prince William Sound and for Bristol Bay are collaborating on national campaigns to promote wild Alaska salmon in stores, restaurants, and to consumers directly through social and mainstream media.The two groups — the only two fishermen-funded groups sanctioned by the state to date — each bring much to the campaign. Bristol Bay is the largest wild salmon fishery in the world, and the most remote, located in the eastern Bering Sea, the northern most sea in the Pacific Ocean. The Copper River is the first salmon to arrive and has a longer journey to their spawning grounds in fresh water than the Bristol Bay sockeye. That means they carry more fat — including omega 3s — than their western cousins. Most of the PWS/CR fleet would argue that improves the flavor profile, but the 1,500-vessel fleet fishing in Bristol Bay would likely take issue.The marketing associations are happy to join forces and show what this versatile fish offers chefs and consumers for taste, nutrition, and convenience.Alongside retail partner trainings, Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) and the Copper River - Prince William Sound Regional Seafood Development Association will post authentic tales of both fisheries and their salmon, emphasizing sustainability, fishing narratives, and environmental impact. The groups want customers to know both Copper River and Bristol Bay wild salmon from boat to plate. They want to”empower… consumers to make the wild choice in a time when transparency, quality and simplicity are at the forefront of consumers’ decision making and cooking habits,” the group said in a statement on April 30."With both regions’ fishing seasons, U.S. consumers, retailers, and restaurants have a wonderful opportunity to savor fresh Wild Alaska Salmon from early May through the summer months,” said Lilani Dunn, executive director of the Bristol Bay RSDA.Christa Hoover, executive director of Copper River and Prince William Sound RSDA, agreed."We are thrilled to join forces with another regional marketing group to inform and celebrate the exceptional qualities of wild Alaska Salmon,” she added.Consumers can follow along with the collaboration on both RSDA’s consumer-facing social media accounts, newsletters, and websites (Copper River Salmon and Bristol Bay Sockeye).The campaign will continue through the summer months. Customers can learn more from BBRSDA’s program manager Aubrey McNeil at bbrsda.com, through CR/PWS Marketing Association’s Jessica James, and copperrivermarketing.org. https://www.seafoodnews.com/Story/1278093/Catches-are-Up-in-the-Copper-River-Cordovas-Fleet-Gets-A-Second-12-Hour-Opener-Today
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