National Fisherman

Fishing is a fickle beast

Wednesday,18 July,2012 09:41:39

Another week, another seafood glut, another strike.



Salmon fishermen in northern California have been enjoying a bountiful season of king salmon returns. It’s a true blessing after three years of shutdowns and minimal openings, but the blessing has become a curse.



Last week, some fishermen tied up to create more demand and improve their boat price, but they haven't seen the effects yet. Most fishermen are getting half what they were before the San Francisco fleet started loading up in fishing-friendly weather in recent weeks. But in many fish markets, the retail price remains the same.



Maybe a tie-up will help the processors clear their lines and create incentive to pay the fishermen a bit better for their premium product. This is the kind of processing politics that has many fishermen looking for direct access to their markets. But after years of shutdowns, it’s not easy to reopen those channels.



It’s a shame that West Coast fishermen finally have what they’ve been waiting for but they can't afford to go fish for them. The best I can do right now is cross my fingers for them and enjoy some fresh California king salmon.



Care to join me?