The Fish Ticket
November 9, 2024
Permits & State Fisheries
Permit activity remains steady, with Bristol Bay drift selling at $135,000, a new 3A 5-angler CHP sale at $81,000, Cook Inlet drift permits edging back up into the $30K range again, and increased interest in SE drift permits.
The Prince William Sound herring fishery opens Tuesday for the first time since 1988. But, with 500 tons available for harvest, fishermen are still waiting to see if anyone will buy.
ADFG announced a GHL of 560,000 pounds for the 2025 Kodiak Tanner season, with an additional 210,000 pounds for the Eastern District of the Alaska Peninsula - far lower than last year's GHL of 3 million pounds for Kodiak and 225,000 for the Eastern District. The season typically opens January 15; last year the GHL was harvested in just two days and will likely go even faster this year.
ADFG published their preseason forecast for the 2025 Bristol Bay salmon season, predicting a "strong" run of 51.31 million sockeye, which is 16% below the 10-year average but 38% more than the long-term average since 1963. This would allow for a harvest of 34.8 million sockeye, 15% less than the 10-year average but 50% above the long-term average. Last year's harvest was 31.6 million. Historically, ADFG has under-forecast the run by about 15%. The run is predicted to be comprised largely (59%) of 3-ocean fish.
ADFG published 2024 season summaries for the Kodiak and Area M salmon seasons:
In Kodiak, the the total salmon harvest was 29% below the preseason forecast and 60% below the 10-year average. The estimated ex-vessel value was $14.2 million, which is one of the lowest on record and less than half of the $33.5 million 10-year average. Participation in the seine fleet was the lowest on record (32%) and seiners averaged $102,178, down 22% from last year's $131,586 and 43% from the 10-year average of $180,749.
In Area M, the total harvest of 4.72 million salmon was 11% below the preseason forecast. 60% of available permits across all gear types fished. The estimated ex-vessel value of $15,348,639 is 58% below the 10-year average. Seiners averaged $119,395 (down 45% from last year and 58% from the 10-year average); drifters averaged $59,605 (more than double last year's $28,665, but still down 45% from the 10-year average); and setnetters averaged $25,447 (up 10% from last year, 42% below the 10-year average).
The PWS and Upper Copper/Upper Susitna Finfish and Shellfish Board of Fish meeting will be held in Cordova December 10-16. The comment deadline is November 26. Here's the Board of Fisheries proposal book for the 2024/2025 meeting cycle.
IFQs & Federal Fisheries
Deliveries are slowing down as we near the end of the IFQ season. Buyers have started calling it quits and the weather has taken a notable turn for the worse. Many boats have either already wrapped up or will soon. The fish that are coming across the docks, however, are fetching the highest prices we've seen in a while, with halibut deliveries into Homer hitting $6.80 straight last week.
The statewide halibut TAC is 78% harvested, with 2C at 86%, 3A at 87%, 3B at 85%, 4A at 54%, 4B at 31%, and 4C/D at 39%. The statewide sablefish TAC is 56% landed, with AI at 4%, BS at 33%, CG at 73%, SE at 77%, WG at 66% and WY at 81%. [more] For comparison, at the end of the 2023 season, halibut was 85% harvested and sablefish 60%.
The IPHC will hold a Research Advisory Board meeting November 19-20, and hold it's Interim Meeting electronically November 25-26. Here's a little taste, just to put you in a really good mood (click to view larger or visit meeting page for all available documents):
In better news, the crabbers are off to a great start out West, with Bristol Bay red king crab seeing an increase in weight and catch rate over last year, high quality crab, and an advance of $10/lb, $2/lb more than last year. Many boats have wrapped up BBRKC and moved on to Tanners, where fishermen have a TAC of 1.8 million pounds in the Eastern Bering Sea and 4.5 million pounds on the Western side.
In the Bering Sea, pollock trawlers have wrapped up their B season, where fishing was good and the TACs were nearly hit. Surimi production is down compared to last year, but pin bone out (PBO) fillets, H&G, minced, roe, fishmeal and oil production are all up.
The NPFMC will meet in Anchorage December 2-10. The Council will set TACs for BSAI and GOA groundfish and Norton Sound Red King Crab, will set charter halibut management measures for the 2025 season, review the Amendment 80 Program Review Report and the IFQ Program Review Report, and more. The comment period opens November 15 and closes at 12:00pm AKT November 29.
What Else?
The global seafood industry is reacting to the news of a second Trump presidency and what it will mean for trade, tariffs, the Russian seafood ban, conservation efforts, manufacturing, costs, and energy (like offshore wind, which Trump previously promised to do away with on day one).
In December 2023 the Groundfish Forum (the group representing Amendment 80 bottom trawlers) sued NMFS over the adoption of Amendment 123, or Abundance Based Management (ABM), which tied the fleet's halibut bycatch limits in the BSAI to how much halibut there was in the water. This week, they lost that lawsuit, which means their bycatch limits will continue to be tied to abundance.
Processors have largely cleared their inventories of Alaska salmon harvested during the 2022-2023 seasons and preliminary numbers indicate that prices are bouncing back.
We all love sea lions, right? And seals and otters? How about whales? Love 'em. Especially when they're destroying gear, on your boat, or eating your catch. Wait, you don't love that? NOAA is working on a survey of marine mammal deterrents and which work best for what, and they want to hear your stories. (AKA this is your chance to b*tch and be heard.)
Nearly a year after putting it on the market, Trident Seafoods is selling its Kodiak plant to Pacific Seafoods, which has an existing presence on the island. Although still in the due diligence phase, the sale is expected to close this month. Both companies have committed to a smooth transition and "A" season processing.
Silver Bay Seafoods is making moves - again:
- Coming full circle, Silver Bay Seafoods has sold to APICDA the False Pass processing plant SBS purchased from Trident in June. (The plant was originally built and run by APICDA.) SBS will lease the plant from APICDA and run operations, including the fuel facility.
- SBS is purchasing former Peter Pan Seafoods processing facilities in Dillingham and Port Moller as well as the Dillingham and North Naknek support sites from Roger May. (Yes, the very same ones SBS tried to buy from Peter Pan, but lost out on to May). As part of the deal, SBS committed to participating in a working group May formed to address the future of the former Peter Pan facility in King Cove. Last month, May sent a letter to dozens of stakeholders asking for help reviving the plant...
- (See above for two 0.1% shares of SBS Naknek available for purchase.)
- After five decades in the industry, Stephanie Madsen will retire as executive director at the At-Sea Processors Association. Matt Tinning, who has been with the organization for about five years, will become the new CEO and Caitlin Yeager (currently GM of the Alaska Boat Company) will join APA as VP of policy and engagement.
- Michelle Stratton is the new executive director for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.
- Brent Paine, who has served as executive director for United Catcher Boats for over 30 years, announced his retirement earlier this year. Andrea Keikkala, who most recently served as the assistant executive director for the International Pacific Halibut Commission, is set to take over on November 18.
According to the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP), US pollock fillet exports are up 19% YOY through August, while prices are down 13.5%. Surimi exports were down about 5%, and roe exports are up over 20%. Meanwhile, US imports of frozen pollock fillet blocks are down 66% YOY (thank you, Russian seafood ban).
Cook Inlet setnetters, particularly those at Tuxedni Bay, are concerned about what effects the proposed Johnson Tract gold mine and associated industrial port could have not just on salmon, but also beluga whales, brown bears, wolves and wolverines, and nesting puffins.
Meanwhile, Russia plans to increase their 2025 pollock TAC by 7%, despite concerns from scientists and industry alike, who are advocating for a reduced TAC.
Domestic snow crab prices shot up last month as imports from Canada dried up.
US seafood consumption per capita decreased 3.4% from 2021 to 2022 according to a new NOAA report. But, it's not all doom and gloom! Consumption of canned seafood increased about 13.5% from 2021 to 2022. And more recently, Seafood Source is reporting seafood sales at retail increased in September.
Two Alaska projects targeting trawl bycatch have been recommended for Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program Awards.
A new study suggests that fish farming negatively affects behavior, physiology, and survival in wild Atlantic cod, which may be more of a concern than virus transmission.
NMFS is looking for way to use Artificial Intelligence to supplement or replace current fishery survey methods.
Federal prosecutors are recommending commercial fisherman Dugan Paul Daniels face six months in prison, a $25,000 fine, and a one-year ban from commercial fishing after misreporting catches and attempting to kill a sperm whale.
Pacific Marine Expo is right around the corner! Washington Governor Jay Inslee will deliver a "State of the Blue" keynote address, Leonard Leach will be recognized as the 2024 Highliner of the Year, and attendees will learn about workforce development, seafood inclusion at USDA, various startups, safety programs, and more. Register in advance for free admission.
This week's Alaska Fisheries Report: Prince William Sound herring fishery, Stephanie Madsen retires from At Sea Processors, Board of Fisheries won't be meeting in Kenai, and fresh king crab sales in Kodiak.
Last week's Bering Sea Barometer: Potential 2025 fisheries numbers, including Prince William Sound herring, and the differences of farmed fish versus wild caught seafood.
