Alaska’s Copper River salmon fishery was prepared for a complicated season. Many worried about a supply chain and end-market crippled by coronavirus shutdowns, and the industry scrambled to protect the rural community of Cordova – home to Copper River’s fleet – from a COVID-19 outbreak. Cordova has so far managed to keep the coronavirus at bay, but low prices and lower run numbers are threatening to sink the 2020 season.
Copper River boats have been on hold since 1 June and fishermen have only motored out for four of the eight scheduled openers, with small run numbers forcing managers to limit fishing time. Copper River fishermen Bill Webber told SeafoodSource earlier in the season that late ice and cold water temperatures were keeping the salmon from running up the river. However, Jerermy Botz, an area management biologist for Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), told the Cordova Times last week that more unsettling hypotheses come into play as the season draws on.
“We’re far enough into the run now that I don’t think water temperature is much of a factor. It’s probably an issue of freshwater survival and ocean survival. It could be a food issue,” Botz said.
ADFG said they are keeping a close eye on the count and will open the fishery again if they see a sufficient uptick in escapement, but many fishermen were coming to terms with the reality that they may not see another opener.
“Having not yet made it into the black with our substantial preseason expenses to acquire the supplies to be able to ship your orders, the struggle is getting real. Here we are, once again, trying to pull off somewhat of a season and are saddened with our inability to fulfill our fresh orders for our customer base this early in the season,” Webber wrote on the blog of his company Paradigm Seafoods.
According to a recently released ADFG report, the sonar count as of 12 June was the eleventh lowest on record, with the harvest the third lowest in 50 years. ADFG’s preseason prediction had the run at 1.4 million sockeye, well below the 10-year average of 2.1 million reds, and most recent sonar data has seen just over 200,000 fish, 100,000 fewer than expected.
On top of that, the few fish that have managed to find nets have not fetched much from processors, with reports of processors paying anywhere from USD 3 to USD 6 (EUR 2.64 to EUR 5.29) per pound for sockeye, a sharp drop from last year’s USD 10 (EUR 8.82) per pound.
Copper River depends heavily on a strong fresh market, shipping direct to high end restaurants where fillets fetch top price. And while seafood retail sales have risen up to 40 percent since the coronavirus shutdowns began, a lack of restaurant sales is a major factor in dragging down prices. The National Fisheries Institute estimates 70 percent of the USD 145 billion (EUR 128 billion) in annual seafood sales comes from restaurants, according to reporting by Bloomberg.
Meanwhile, cooler water temperatures from a large snow year were also thought to be keeping fish from running up the rivers in Bristol Bay, Alaska, home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery. Predictions have Bristol Bay once again bucking statewide downward trends in run numbers, with a forecast of nearly 49 million fish – 30 percent over historic averages.
While prices are not typically set in Bristol Bay until late July, pre-season rumors have the base price for sockeye salmon at USD .75 to USD .80 (EUR .66 to EUR .70), down significantly from last season’s USD 1.25 (EUR 1.10) per pound for sockeye.
Photo courtesy of TroutNut/Shutterstock
