Epic government pollock buy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking to buy a huge volume of Alaska pollock products — more than 43 million pounds of frozen fish sticks, nuggets and fillets, according to this 127-page solicitation.

Salmon notes

• The Southeast Alaska summer troll fishery will see a third opener beginning just after midnight tonight, with about 6,800 treaty Chinook up for grabs. Each troll permit holder will be allocated 18 Chinook for the 10-day fishery.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the purchase of nearly $877,000 in canned pink salmon from Silver Bay Seafoods for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program.

• British Columbia activists behind a campaign known as Alaska's Dirty Secret are again accusing Southeast Alaska fishermen of intercepting, or "stealing," Canadian salmon. They've posted this video.

Trident, Silver Bay land USDA pollock contracts

Here's the announcement.

USDA seeks another big bite of pollock products

Details in this solicitation.

ASMI awarded $4.5M for international marketing

Here's the press release.

Trident's big contract

Seattle-based Trident Seafoods Corp. has won a contract to sell the U.S. Department of Agriculture nearly 10.6 million pounds of Alaska pollock products — frozen fillets, fish sticks and nuggets — for $25.1 million.

The purchase is "in support of child nutrition and other related domestic food distribution programs," says this USDA announcement.

USDA to buy 21M pounds of Alaska pollock products

Here's the announcement.

Huge government pollock buy coming, ASMI says

The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to purchase up to $50 million of Alaska pollock, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said in a press release.

"These USDA purchases provide food insecure Americans with high-quality, healthy and sustainable seafood protein," ASMI said. "They also support American fishermen, companies and communities currently struggling with low pollock prices due to reductions in demand and increased competition, mostly from Russia."

More marketing money

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute says it has secured $8.5 million in new federal funding to increase international marketing.

"While these funds will help ASMI grow our international efforts, they will also allow ASMI to direct additional state funds toward the U.S. market, where consumer demand for seafood has fallen dramatically," ASMI Executive Director Jeremy Woodrow says in this press release.

Uncle Sam wants fish

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking to buy large quantities of salmon products as well as pollock products.

A big canned salmon deal

The court-appointed receiver for Peter Pan Seafood is looking to sell the company's canned salmon inventory to Silver Bay Seafoods in a $27.3 million deal.

Silver Bay would use the inventory to help fulfill a U.S. Department of Agriculture contract, according to this motion filed in King County Superior Court.

Silver Bay's big sale to Uncle Sam

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has purchased more than $7.5 million in canned pink salmon from Silver Bay Seafoods.

The purchase is in support of child nutrition and other domestic food programs, the agency said in this announcement.

OBI's pullback — and its big score

OBI Seafoods is making news on multiple fronts.

The Kodiak Daily Mirror is reporting OBI has notified setnetters at Alitak, on the south end of Kodiak Island, it won't be buying salmon there this season.

Deckboss has asked the company for more details on this.

In other news, OBI was a big winner in a recent round of government fish procurement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on March 6 announced it purchased $54 million in canned pink salmon and $14.4 million in canned red salmon from OBI.

OBI was created in 2020 through a merger of Ocean Beauty and Icicle.

Big federal salmon buy coming

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning to purchase up to $70 million in canned pink salmon and $30 million in canned sockeye.

Read more about it in this press release from the Alaska congressional delegation.

Fishing for federal help

Numerous Alaska legislators have signed a letter asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist the state's struggling seafood industry.

"Timing is critical as seafood processors will soon be attempting to obtain financing for the 2024 pack," the letter says.

Federal salmon buy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the purchase of more than $9 million in salmon products.

Three companies including OBI Seafoods, Silver Bay Seafoods, and Trident Seafoods sold $7.3 million in canned pink salmon, with Trident accounting for the bulk of the sales.

The USDA also purchased $1.8 million in frozen wild salmon fillets from Pacific Seafood.

Bristol Bay inventory relief?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a purchase of up to $67.5 million in canned sockeye and sockeye fillets, Alaska's congressional delegation reports.

This appears to be a life ring to the Bristol Bay salmon industry, which reportedly is still working to sell off last year's gargantuan sockeye catch.

Uncle Sam's salmon

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has purchased nearly $4.5 million in canned pink salmon from three companies — Silver Bay Seafoods, OBI Seafoods, and Trident Seafoods.

Uncle Sam's salmon

The U.S. Department of Agriculture purchased $20.2 million in canned red salmon from packers Peter Pan and OBI.

Uncle Sam's big buy

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will buy pollock, sockeye salmon and other products in "the largest single seafood purchase in the department's history."