Two new studies presented at the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers’ (GAPP) recent annual meeting revealed the economic importance of the Alaska pollock fishery on both the state’s and the country’s economies.
Research conducted by Northern Economics and the McKinley Research Group presented at the meeting – which took place in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. on 18 September – found that around 1.43 million metric tons of Alaska pollock were harvested in 2023, with more than USD 455 million (EUR 386 million) of the harvest’s total value staying in the pockets of Alaska pollock fishermen.
That harvest delivered USD 1.7 billion (EUR 1.4 billion) worth of products, including fillets, surimi, roe, fishmeal, and fish oil, much of which was processed in facilities throughout coastal Alaska, GAPP said. Additionally, the fishery supported more than 6,300 Alaskan jobs, providing the state’s workforce with more than USD 337 million (EUR 286 million) in wages.
The Alaska pollock fishery generated USD 2.5 billion (EUR 2.1 billion) in U.S. economic output, or sales activity, in 2023, with Alaska receiving nearly one-third of this total. The fishery was also responsible for an estimated USD 25 million (EUR 21 million) in state and municipal taxes.
“Those are dollars that flow directly to Alaskan families, small businesses, and local boroughs all across the state,” Northern Economics Economist Melissa Errend said. “For every USD 1.00 [EUR 0.85] of labor that’s earned by an Alaskan working in the Alaska pollock industry, USD 2.00 [EUR 1.69] are earned by other Alaskans – a huge multiplier effect of the fishery throughout the state.”
According to the McKinley report, Alaska pollock also helps other Alaskan seafood products reach destinations around the country, as the volume and frequency of pollock product shipments makes it economically viable for marine freight carriers to make consistent stops up and down the Alaskan coast.
“Marine freight carrier companies interviewed for the study noted that the absence of the Alaska pollock fishery would leave other Alaska seafood products quite literally stranded in Alaska,” GAPP Director of Industry Relations Ron Rogness said at the meeting. “The absence of the Alaska pollock fishery would drive up costs of groceries, building materials, and essential supplies significantly.”
Not only is the fishery of great economic importance both locally and nationally, but other research revealed at the meeting found that Alaskan pollock is an extremely eco-friendly and sustainable protein source.
Through a comprehensive life cycle assessment he conducted, Dalhousie University Professor Peter Tyedmers said the Alaska pollock fishery showed an 18 percent decrease in carbon emissions in 2024 compared to the previous year.
“This is a very low climate impact sector. Alaska pollock has one of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions of any protein,” Tyedmers said. “When you look at the comparison charts, it’s hard to even fit the low impact of Alaska pollock on the same chart with other proteins – especially with this latest, even lower, number.”
