Alaska fisheries are a moving target

By Kati Capozzi

At this year’s RDC Alaska Resources Conference, Governor Sean Parnell and RDC board member Glenn Reed provided insights on Alaska’s seafood industry, which continues to produce statistics that often surprise many.

For example, if Alaska were a nation, it would be the 14th largest seafood producing country in the world. Seafood accounts for over half of Alaska’s total direct exports. The fishing industry continues to be Alaska’s largest private sector employer.

Parnell discussed this year’s dismal salmon returns and the impact it had on many salmon dependent communities throughout Alaska. Recently, the state requested federal disaster assistance for those communities most affected by the low returns, citing a direct economic impact of $16.8 million. In addition, action has been taken to develop a long term Chinook salmon research plan to better understand the factors influencing the fishery. The recommendations from that study will be incorporated into the budget proposal submitted to the legislature.

Reed, President of Pacific Seafood Processors Association, began his presentation by thanking members of the legislature for passing the Salmon Enhancement Tax Credit, which has allowed companies to invest in value-added processing techniques. He noted that Alaska seafood continues to be globally recognized as healthy, sustainable, and of the highest quality.

Salmon bycatch in the Pollock fishery has been a recent hot topic that Reed also addressed. Bycatch is the unintended harvesting of one species while fishing for a different species. In the case of the Pollock fishery in 2012, for every 228,000 pollock harvested, one Chinook salmon was caught. While this number may seem exceedingly miniscule, the Pollock fishery is a multi-billion pound harvest, resulting in a salmon bycatch in 2008 of just over 10,000 Chinook. Reed outlined the mitigation efforts to reduce the bycatch, which include vessel incentive programs, rolling ‘hot-spot’ closures where the salmon bycatch were yielding greater numbers, and excluder devices in the fishing nets that allow salmon the escape from the nets due to different swimming habits.

Reed concluded by emphasizing that Alaska’s future in the seafood industry is a bright one. The fisheries are abundant and well managed and the Alaska brand of being the highest quality seafood in the world will continue to ensure a healthy and stable industry.

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