2008 Alaska salmon season tops $409 million
IntraFish Media
Published - November 17. 2008
Fishermen in Alaska harvested 146 million salmon in 2008, the 16th largest harvest since Alaska became a state 49 years ago. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Friday when it released estimates of this year's Alaska salmon catch.
The 2008 harvest was 67 million fish fewer than the 2007 harvest of 213 million fish, 13.5 million fish above the preseason forecast of 132.5 million fish, and 27.3 million fish below the most recent 10 year average (2007-1998) commercial harvest of 173 million salmon.
At $409.3 million (€323 million), the value of the 2008 catch is higher than the most recent 10-year average (2007-1998) of $289 million (€228 million), and only $7.4 million (€5.8 million) less than fishermen earned in 2007, marking the second consecutive year since 1995 that the total value has exceeded $400 million (€316 million).
Preliminary 2008 prices are showing increased value for king, coho, pink, and chum salmon compared to the final 2007 prices. Only the preliminary sockeye salmon price in 2008 is slightly below that for 2007.
Chinook salmon prices increased from $3.07 (€2.42) per pound in 2007 to $4.28 (€3.38) per pound in 2008, while coho salmon prices increased from $0.96 (€0.75) per pound in 2007 to $1.21 per (€0.95) pound in 2008. Chum salmon prices increased from $0.34 (€0.26) per pound in 2007 to $0.53 (€0.41) per pound in 2008, and pink salmon prices were up by $0.10 (€0.07) per pound at $0.29 (€0.22) in 2008.
The preliminary statewide average price for sockeye salmon is $0.78 (€0.61) per pound, 2 cents less than last year. Final 2008 prices for all salmon species may be higher after any post-season adjustments and end-of-season bonuses are paid to fisherman.
Bristol Bay’s sockeye salmon harvest of 27.7 million fish was the 11th largest since 1893. The ex-vessel value of $111.3 million (€87.7 million) was slightly lower than the 2007 Bristol Bay value of $115.7 million (€90.8 million).
The statewide pink salmon harvest of 84 million fish is well below the all time record-setting harvest of 161 million fish in 2005 and the most recent 30-year historical average (1978-2007) of 91.1 million fish.
The statewide chum salmon harvest of 18.2 million fish ranks as the seventh best of all time in numbers of fish and the ex-vessel value of $78.8 million (€62.4 million) captures the second highest ranking since statehood.
IntraFish Media
Published - November 17. 2008
Fishermen in Alaska harvested 146 million salmon in 2008, the 16th largest harvest since Alaska became a state 49 years ago. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game said Friday when it released estimates of this year's Alaska salmon catch.
The 2008 harvest was 67 million fish fewer than the 2007 harvest of 213 million fish, 13.5 million fish above the preseason forecast of 132.5 million fish, and 27.3 million fish below the most recent 10 year average (2007-1998) commercial harvest of 173 million salmon.
At $409.3 million (€323 million), the value of the 2008 catch is higher than the most recent 10-year average (2007-1998) of $289 million (€228 million), and only $7.4 million (€5.8 million) less than fishermen earned in 2007, marking the second consecutive year since 1995 that the total value has exceeded $400 million (€316 million).
Preliminary 2008 prices are showing increased value for king, coho, pink, and chum salmon compared to the final 2007 prices. Only the preliminary sockeye salmon price in 2008 is slightly below that for 2007.
Chinook salmon prices increased from $3.07 (€2.42) per pound in 2007 to $4.28 (€3.38) per pound in 2008, while coho salmon prices increased from $0.96 (€0.75) per pound in 2007 to $1.21 per (€0.95) pound in 2008. Chum salmon prices increased from $0.34 (€0.26) per pound in 2007 to $0.53 (€0.41) per pound in 2008, and pink salmon prices were up by $0.10 (€0.07) per pound at $0.29 (€0.22) in 2008.
The preliminary statewide average price for sockeye salmon is $0.78 (€0.61) per pound, 2 cents less than last year. Final 2008 prices for all salmon species may be higher after any post-season adjustments and end-of-season bonuses are paid to fisherman.
Bristol Bay’s sockeye salmon harvest of 27.7 million fish was the 11th largest since 1893. The ex-vessel value of $111.3 million (€87.7 million) was slightly lower than the 2007 Bristol Bay value of $115.7 million (€90.8 million).
The statewide pink salmon harvest of 84 million fish is well below the all time record-setting harvest of 161 million fish in 2005 and the most recent 30-year historical average (1978-2007) of 91.1 million fish.
The statewide chum salmon harvest of 18.2 million fish ranks as the seventh best of all time in numbers of fish and the ex-vessel value of $78.8 million (€62.4 million) captures the second highest ranking since statehood.