The Fish Ticket
August 23, 2024
Permits & State Fisheries
I don't want to beat a dead horse, but this year's salmon season has been awful. Sure, there were some bright spots in the sockeye fisheries (Cook Inlet had a great season, Copper River showed up strong early on, and Bristol Bay was better than expected), but pink salmon really dropped the ball this year. The YTD harvest is over 50% below 2022 (the last even year). Also, where are the silvers? Are they late to the party or are they just ghosting us? Their current statewide harvest is also down more than 50% from both this time last year and the five year average. According to SeafoodNews, it could end up being the worst year for salmon since 1988. (Meanwhile, in Russia, fisheries managers have actually increased the harvest projections, with pink salmon accounting for 69% of the harvest so far. Totally unrelated, I'm sure.)
In more depressing news, Southeast trollers will not get a second summer Chinook fishery because sport fishermen in Southeast are projected to exceed their allocation by 14,000 Chinook. As you might imagine, that isn't sitting well with the commercial fleet. The Alaska Trollers Association issued a strongly worded press release.
In better news, the University of Washington Fisheries Research Institute published their preliminary preseason estimates for the 2025 Bristol Bay season, and both harvests and fish sizes are expected to improve next year. The projected run of 49.6 million sockeye is 18% below the 10 year average, but on par with the last two seasons. The harvest projection of 32.4 million is slightly higher than this year's harvest of 31 million but notably higher than the preseason forecast of 25 million. On average, sockeye are expected to weigh in at 5.7 pounds, a 36% increase over this year's historically low 4.2 pound average.
And in permit news, Cook Inlet drift permits are holding steady in the $38,000-$39,000 range. Federal waters in Cook Inlet closed to salmon fishing on August 15. Our most recent Bristol Bay drift permit sold for $121,500, but the low hanging fruit might be gone - our highest offer is currently $125,000, with no takers yet. Bristol Bay setnet permits have come down to $51,400 compared to the last sale at $60,000. Permit activity is increasing as the summer season comes to an end, check out new listings, prices, and offers below.
IFQs & Federal Fisheries
The quota market is still pretty darn slow. A sale in July at $27.00 marked the lowest price we’ve seen for 3A unblocked this year and we have 3ACU listed as low as $28.50. Fished 2C unblocked quota sold at $43.00. Dock prices in Homer slipped down into the $5.00-$6.00 range earlier this month, with deliveries last week going for $5.50/$5.75/$6.00. And, following a trend we’re seeing in other ports, the price for 60 ups was the same as 10-20 at $5.50. They've popped back up over the $6.00 mark now, with a delivery last week fetching $6.25 straight.
Overall, those aren't bad prices, but looking at fish tickets from 2014, the ex-vessel prices for halibut were in the $6.00 to $7.00 range. With the increased costs of food, fuel, ice, bait, insurance, and moorage, coupled with lower catch limits, the bottom line for halibut fishermen is considerably worse than it was ten years ago. And, with halibut getting harder to find, fishermen are running more gear to get their quota caught. So, it's not great.
Still no interest in black cod quota and no recent dock prices to report. (If you find these dock prices useful, and you’re making a delivery or have delivered recently, please let us know what you got paid!)
The statewide halibut TAC is 53% harvested, with 2C at 65%, 3A at 61%, 3B at 53%, 4A at 35%, 4B at 15%, and 4C/D at 19%. The statewide sablefish TAC is 38% landed, with AI still at 3%, BS at 19%, CG at 49%, SE at 53%, WG at 33% and WY at 70%.
What Else?
Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Executive Director Jamie Goen was appointed to the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Goen will fill a seat previously held by Kenny Down, who passed away earlier this summer. She joins Brian Ritchie and John Moller as the Council's newest members.
Last week the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the Wild Fish Conservancy. The Washington-based nonprofit sued NMFS back in 2020 in an attempt to shut down the Southeast Chinook troll fishery, arguing that it violates the ESA by further endangering Puget Sound's Southern Resident Orcas. Last May, a Washington District Court agreed and ordered the fishery to close until NMFS made some changes. But an appeals court granted a stay just before the season opened, so the fishery could continue in the meantime. With this week's ruling, the fishery isn't facing threat of closure, but NMFS still has some work to do.
Ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana sued NMFS over bottom trawling and its effects on the seabed and seafloor habitats, and failing to adhere to requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens and National Environmental Policy Acts. So, stay tuned on that one.
Last week, the Biden Administration awarded $34 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for modernizing data and infrastructure and workforce development at NOAA Fisheries.
Juneau-based Alaska Glacier Seafoods purchased Triad Fisheries, owner of Bruce Gore brand salmon products. Both specialize in high quality seafood products and AGS has committed to carrying on that legacy.
The bottom trawlers suing the feds over stricter halibut bycatch limits are requesting the court issue a ruling by November 1. This is the second time they've requested the court hurry up - the first request was denied. (On a related note, Alaska's federal judicial system is currently in what they call a "judicial emergency" because we're markedly short on judges - our singular federal judge is very lonely right now.)
Alaska Representative Mary Peltola introduced the Domestic Seafood Production Act in July, which aims to slow down and increase scrutiny in the permitting process for offshore finfish aquaculture by requiring congressional authorization, and to offer grant funds for community seafood and mariculture processing. Of note, offshore finfish farming is outlawed in both Alaska and Washington.
Meanwhile, Katahdin Salmon, a hopeful US land-based salmon farmer, announced it will start construction next year, after passing difficult permitting hurdles.
The Alaska Bycatch Advisory Council will meet remotely at 9:00 am September 3, which will focus on bycatch research recommendations and bycatch-related research priorities by the NPFMC, and include time for public comment.
Bering Sea snow crab made headlines in CNN this week. Warmer waters caused billions of crab to starve to death, and scientists are warning of “continued poor conditions” in future years.
The PWS Economic Development District brought together stakeholders to discuss the possibility of creating a multi-use community cold storage facility in Cordova. The space could provide options for processing, packaging, storage, and even developing food products.
Two deceased humpback whales were found in Southeast last month. Vessel strike was determined to be the cause of death for one and is suspected to be the cause for the second.
Senator Murkowski made an appearance in Kodiak earlier this month, and spoke on the future of fisheries, Russian seafood, and the Farm Bill, among other things.
Kodiak's plans for a new harbor are chugging along. They have two potential designs completed and are moving on to the permitting phase, which is expected to take 12-18 months.
Nearly 100 fishermen signed a letter to the Washington bankruptcy court urging them not to let Roger May purchase Peter Pan Seafoods' assets, including the Port Moller processing plant, the King Cove fuel business and more. They said May, part owner and chief growth officer of Peter Pan, had screwed over the fleet so badly that they'd never fish for him again (I'm paraphrasing). Essentially, May would have no fleet. May then withdrew his bid and the property will now be sold at auction.
Tribes in Southeast Alaska have requested a pause in select B.C. mining operations, fearing the effects they're having on the Unuk River’s ecosystem. This isn't a new battle - Southeast tribes have been concerned about this for years, claims that are bolstered by past failures that led to substantial contamination.
After a decades-long push, the Coast Guard confirmed they will purchase a commercial icebreaker and station it in Juneau.
Last week's Alaska Fisheries Report: the underlying messaging at Salmonfest, millions of dollars in funding for the Metlakatla Tribe's hatchery, and OBI Seafoods in Petersburg has blown its fish whistle.
This week's Alaska Fisheries Report: the lifting of a court order that would have halted the Southeast Alaska king salmon troll fishery, the arrest of a Ketchikan man accused of stealing dungy gear, and why a Southeast Alaska tribe wants to know how much fish Alaskans eat.
Today's Bering Sea Barometer: Captain Pete Neaton is getting ready for the upcoming fall cod fishery; it’s a big week for halibut; and rumor has it, Bristol Bay red king crab will likely open this fall.
