The Alaska Department of Fish and Game just posted its summary of the Bristol Bay salmon season.
The harvest of all species (mainly sockeye) was huge at 36.7 million fish, but the ex-vessel value of $94.8 million was 15 percent below the 20-year average.
Well, duh. The market was flooded and prices were terrible.
ReplyDeleteWell the fish could have not shown up and the opposite of that could be Im glad they showed up
ReplyDeleteNext year we will work twice as hard for half the money
ReplyDeleteWonder what percent were iced, bled, etc. At least the processors can't continue blaming us for poor quality. Value of permits and boats will tank. We need to have foreign processors in the Bay.
ReplyDeleteIn the spring permits were selling for $160k now they are selling for $115k. You just lost 30%.
ReplyDeleteOdd the fact that this year's price in the Bay for sockeye was perhaps the lowest ever in the history of the fishery when adjusted for inflation, and it hasn't generated more press or discussion. The industry was in a quandary in 2001 at 0.47/lb which is more than 0.50 is now, 14 years later. Its pretty quiet this time around. I'd say "disappointing" is an understatement, "train-wreck" is more descriptive.
ReplyDeleteBecause the *scabs* of 91 and the reps of the canneries representing the fisherman with the bloated lifestyles caved and fished because the *scabs* were getting rich while they sat on the beach. That they didn't sit on the beach is the biggest travesty of all. When they went out the processors knew they had their number, and still do to this day.
ReplyDelete.50 a pound....adjusted for inflation......and you still think your operation is worth 115K for the permit, and whatever you own for a boat.
Just a bunch of chumps.
Bundrant, et. al. are just laughing themselves silly and all the way to the bank.
The lower 48 scabs who helped ruin this fishery for others are/were teachers from South Bend, WA, and Gig Harbor.
Frankly it's pretty sickening.