The top prices for Alaskan salmon anglers are piling up and, as expected, they are on the rise across the board. This will give a good boost to the economic base of fishing communities and the state through fishing taxes, royalties and other assessments.

About one-third (62 million) of Alaska’s predicted catch of 190 million salmon had crossed the docks by July 16 midway through the fishing season.

Prices paid to fishermen vary based on buyers, gear types and regions, and post-season bonuses and salary adjustments will not be finalized until early next year.

Here’s a look at the average base prices of the major processors at this point in the season:

In Bristol Bay, the price for fishermen was raised to $ 1.25 by OBI Seafoods, topping the Peter Pan’s $ 1.10 posted in June before the fishery began, and from $ 0.70 last year .

Kodiak anglers were paid $ 1.45 to $ 1.50 for sockeye salmon and $ 1.75 in the southeast.

This compares to a statewide average of just $ 0.76 a pound for sockeye last year. A capture of 46.6 million sockeye salmon in 2021 is expected for Alaska; the total to date has exceeded 44 million.

Pink salmon cost an average of 0.35 cents a pound to fishermen. A harvest of 124.2 million roses in Alaska is expected this summer, nearly 49% more than last year. The statewide price for pink salmon in 2020 averaged 0.30 cents per pound.

Chum averaged $ 0.50 a pound for Kodiak anglers, double the price last year, and $ 0.85 in Southeast Alaska, up from $ 0.45. The average price of chum in 2020 was 0.43 cents per pound.

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, kings captured by trolls in the Southeast averaged $ 6.73 a pound, compared to an average of $ 5.07 statewide. ‘last year. With an average weight of 11 pounds, each Chinook was again worth more than a barrel of Alaskan crude oil. ($ 74.03 versus 73.48 as of July 16).

Coho salmon catches will start to add up in August, but silverfish trolled in the southeast were paying anglers a staggering $ 2.50 a pound for all sizes. That compares to $ 1.74 at the Panhandle last year and a state average for silver medals of $ 1.17.

Small red salmon – The return of sockeye salmon back to Bristol Bay could set a record 66 million fish. The bay-wide catch has exceeded 36 million, but the reds are smaller than in previous years.

The average height this summer is 4.5 pounds compared to 5.1 pounds last year, said Dan Lesh of McKinley Research Group. Still, sockeye are heading for a greedy market.

“The supply is low and there is a high demand for premium seafood at all levels,” he said. “People have more money and food and beverage expenses are at pre-pandemic levels.”

That’s “so far so good” as far as putting a smaller fish on the plate, Lesh said, adding that it could mean adjustments for various salmon products.

The Bristol Bay Reds aren’t the only ones to decline. Chinook salmon size decreased the most to 8%; 3.3% in coho, 2.4% in chum salmon and a shrinkage of 2.1% in sockeye in general.

This is based on 60 years of measurements of 12.5 million Alaskan salmon, excluding roses by Nature Communication who compared average body lengths before 1990 and after 2010.

To sleep at sea or not – Finding time to sleep is one of the biggest challenges on a fishing trip, especially with limited openings. The pressure to bait and pull pots or lines and handle nets can be relentless.

“The less you sleep, the more money you make in a way. It’s a really hard thing to overcome. Because everyone wants to make more money,” said Jerry Dzugan, director of Alaska Marine Safety Education Association in Sitka.

Sleep deprivation leads to more accidents and worsens physical performance, he said KDLL in Kenai

“The military alone has done volumes on this because of the performance of the personnel in the military. But little has been done in the commercial fishing industry. And I think that’s the big thing, ”he said. “I don’t think anybody told me it wasn’t a problem.

AMSEA partnered with national organizations for a two-year project with 200 randomly selected fishermen in Alaska, Oregon and the Northeast. The group will follow and hear the concerns of fishermen regarding their sleep patterns and the possible effects on their safety and health.

Funding comes from the US Coast Guard and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

NIOSH spokesperson Julie Sorensen said National fisherman that fishermen have said they wonder how sleep deprivation will impact their cognitive abilities as they get older. Many are curious about energy drinks, naps, diet, and other sleep disruptors.

The exhibition is back! Pacific Navy Show is back in person after COVID forced him to cancel last year. Now in its 55th year, the show is scheduled for November 18-20 at the Lumen Field Event Center in Seattle.

The Expo is set to welcome around 500 vendors and the schedule will attract even more visitors, said Bob Callahan, vice president of Diversified Communications Group and director of the Expo.

“What’s in our favor this year is that whenever the show dates are right before Thanksgiving, it’s usually one of our most productive shows and our exhibitors are very happy about it,” a- he declared.

“The dates are a starting point for our attendees from Alaska traveling on Thanksgiving,” he added. “They spend a few days at the salon, then they either stay in Seattle or travel across the country to visit family for the vacation weekend.”

“Having a face-to-face event, I think, comes out stronger after COVID, than people previously perceived,” he added.

This year’s Expo has another good lure.

“This year is a bonus because the Seahawks play on Sunday, the day after the show closes,” Callahan said. “They play the cardinals. So we’ll be handing out tickets for the Seahawks over the three days.

Piece of fish – Halibut prices paid at $ 7.25 / $ 7.65 / $ 7.85 to fishermen in Homer in mid-July and $ 7.05 / $ 7.30 / $ 7.55 in Seward, published the Fish Ticket.

At the grocery store – Sales of fresh, frozen and shelf-stable seafood in the United States reached $ 585 million in June 2021, down 5.3% from 2020, but sales have surged by almost 44% in June compared to 2019, reported Source seafood.

For the first six months of 2021, fresh and frozen seafood showed a mid-year increase from 2020, “with increased household penetration, travel and spending per trip,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, director of 210 Analytics. Sales of room-temperature (shelf-stable) seafood have declined over the past six months.