The Alaska Department of Fish & Game in early April reported that this year’s Bristol Bay sockeye salmon processing capacity should be adequate for what looks to be a strong harvest.
However, if the daily processing capacity is neared or exceeded, processors could choose to limit the number of fishermen from whom they purchase salmon.
The combined daily processing capacity is 2.07 million fish, approximately 200,000 more fish than 2010. The seasonal processing capacity is estimated at 33.7 million sockeye, 5.2 million fish more than the ADF&G estimate for the sockeye salmon available for commercial harvest in Bristol Bay for the year.
For Bristol Bay, which accounts for about two-thirds of Alaska’s total sockeye catch, a run of about 38.5 million fish is expected this year, up from 30.5 million in 2010. The state’s commercial harvest is projected at 29.67 million fish, with Bristol Bay’s share forecasted at 28.53 million fish.
According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, prices for Bristol Bay sockeye should be on par with last year’s prices, which were high thanks in part to a shortage of king salmon in the Lower 48 and Chile’s struggles in producing farmed salmon.
Even though California and Oregon are expecting better salmon returns than previous years, according to ASMI, Chile’s continued lack of production should be enough to keep baseline prices for sockeye high. In addition, the shift in market commodity over the past seven years from canned to fresh and frozen keeps prices up due to the higher-value product form.
