The Russian embargo

We've heard a lot about the trade war between the United States and China.

But another international conflict, this one involving Russia, has been crimping Alaska's seafood industry for more than five years now.

This four-page white paper from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute details the situation.

In 2014, Russia imposed an embargo on food products from the United States and other countries as retaliation for Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

The Russian embargo bans virtually all Alaska seafood products. Alaska seafood producers exported $61.3 million in goods to Russia in 2013, the year before the embargo, with salmon roe accounting for most of the total.

Now, here's the kicker: Although the Russian market is closed to the U.S. industry, the United States remains an open and lucrative market for Russian seafood.

It's all over in Sitka

Coming into the season, Sitka Sound herring seiners had a record 28,829-ton quota in front of them.

But the blockbuster harvest wasn't to be.

Today, the Department of Fish and Game closed the season after a scratchy harvest of 13,534 tons, or less than half of that big quota.

The department said the decision was "based on the completion of major spawning in Sitka Sound."

Of course, Sitka herring are valuable only if harvested before they spawn and drop their prized roe.

Well, Deckboss imagines we'll be debating this curious herring season for quite some time.

Maybe a smaller harvest is for the best, given the poor price Sitka herring fetched last year.

Thoughts, anyone?

Norton Sound herring pays gillnetters $339 a ton

Here's a summary of Norton Sound's herring fishery from Norton Sound Economic Development Corp.

June 30, 2011

Norton Sound herring harvest sets another record for roe recovery

NOME — Norton Sound herring fishermen in June topped their own high mark set a year ago by harvesting herring with an all-time record recovery of roe.

The 744 tons of herring harvested this year were comprised of 14.8 percent roe, on average. The previous record, set last year by Norton Sound harvesters, was 13.5 percent roe recovery.

In total, approximately 25 Norton Sound herring fishermen harvested 810 tons of herring, of which 66 tons were directed to a bait fishery.

Fishermen were paid out a total of more than $274,700 for the entire fishery, an average of $339 per ton.

Prices paid per ton were determined by a sliding scale depending on the roe percentage. Roe recovery ranged from 9 percent to 20 percent, with the majority of the harvest coming in between 13 and 17 percent. Fishermen harvested the herring with gillnets.

Norton Sound Economic Development Corp. has worked to bring a herring buyer to the region for the last two years to conduct a fishery after several years of no commercial herring fishing.

Through an agreement with NSEDC, Icicle Seafoods brought a processing vessel and tenders to Norton Sound in 2010 and 2011.

The roe harvested is sold as a luxury food item in Japan and is often given out during the holidays as gifts.

In addition to negotiating an agreement with Icicle, NSEDC supports the fishery through aerial surveys to determine when the fishing effort should begin and to direct fishermen to high-quality herring once the fishery commences.

This year, biologists from NSEDC's Norton Sound Fisheries Research and Development division flew 29 hours during 15 flights in support of the fishery.

"We would like to thank all our resident fishermen as well as the great crew Icicle brought to Norton Sound. From the crews of the processing vessel and tenders to the aerial survey support, Icicle provided excellent service to all aspects of the fishery," said Reese Huhta, southern manager for NSEDC's Norton Sound Seafood Products.

Small fleet nets big herring haul at Togiak

The industry has taken a lot of herring at Togiak, as you can see from today's announcement from the Department of Fish and Game.

But participation in the fishery is light.

The fleet consists of 22 seine boats and 25 gillnetters. That's four fewer seiners than were seen last season and 10 fewer gillnetters, said Tim Sands, management biologist for the Togiak fishery.

"We have the same number of processors as last year, but only five of
the six companies are buying gillnet fish," he said. "Last year all six bought."

Togiak herring fishery a third of the way through

After a slow start the big Togiak sac roe herring fishery has picked up with the harvest now totaling 8,406 tons, or just over a third of the 24,805-ton quota.

The seiners are faring best, taking 7,275 tons or about 42 percent of their allocation so far, with the gillnet fleet taking 1,131 tons or 15 percent of its share.

Plans finalized for Norton Sound herring fishery

Norton Sound Economic Development Corp. and Icicle Seafoods Inc. have put together a deal to support a sac roe herring fishery in Norton Sound.

"Icicle Seafoods will bring a processing vessel to Norton Sound to purchase herring from resident fishermen," says an NSEDC press release issued today. "Icicle will also bring four tender vessels to the region to facilitate the fast-paced fishery.

"The Norton Sound fishery generally opens three weeks after the Togiak opener farther south. Current estimates would put this year's Norton Sound opener, which is always subject to change, at the end of May.

"The harvest target for 2011 is set at 1,000 tons. Fishermen will be paid on a sliding scale according to the percentage of roe recovery."

The herring will pay between $190 and $350 a ton, depending on roe content, with herring for bait paying $50 a ton, the press release says.

Last year's sac roe herring fishery, the first held since 2006, attracted nearly 30 boats.

NSEDC is a nonprofit established under the federal Community Development Quota program. It represents 15 communities including Nome and outlying villages.

Togiak herring update: We're on

The Togiak sac roe herring season opens at 6 p.m., although fishery managers "do not believe that the herring have mature roe at this time," says this Department of Fish and Game announcement.

Ready for action at Togiak

The sac roe herring fishery at Togiak, historically the state's largest herring harvest by weight, could begin as soon as this evening.

Here's the latest update from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The forecast calls for a potential harvest of 24,805 tons of herring.

Sitka scorecard

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has posted its final tally from a rollicking 2011 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery.

"Seven processing companies and 48 permit holders participated in the fishery harvesting 19,429 tons of herring, slightly below the guideline harvest level of 19,490 tons," the report says.

Still no word on what, or whether, purse seiners will be paid for the catch.

It's all over at Sitka

The Sitka sac roe herring fishery is done for the season as seiners reached the full quota Saturday after a fifth and final opener.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is estimating the cumulative catch at 19,636 tons.

The "guideline harvest level" coming into the season was 19,490 tons.

So this is really interesting. The industry has taken all the fish it could, despite the considerable uncertainty in disaster-wracked Japan, the only serious market for herring roe.

Reliable information on herring prices at Sitka has been scarce. The reason could be that prices simply don't exist yet pending some sense of what the market is willing to pay.

Naturally, Deckboss is aiming to find out more.

Sitka herring catch mounts; fishery on timeout

A Coast Guard boat patrols Sitka herring fishery. USCG photo

Sounds like the Sitka sac roe herring fishery will be on hiatus until at least Thursday. That's to allow processors time to work through the backlog of fish.

The fishery has seen three openings so far, including a 50-minute session yesterday.

The total catch stands at about 12,700 tons, out of a quota of 19,490 tons.

So we're on the downside of the fishery now.

Here's the latest update from the Department of Fish and Game.

Abandon ship!

Michael Hand, running a tender at Sitka, shot this awesome video of the seiner Infinite Grace's scary moment in Friday's herring opener.

Action intensifies at Sitka

A second opener Friday in the Sitka herring fishery brought the season's catch total thus far to 7,100 tons.

Here's the press release from the Department of Fish and Game.

For lots of cool imagery, check out the Daily Sitka Sentinel and HaulingGear.com.

First Sitka herring opener produces small catch

The first opener of the season for the Sitka sac roe herring fishery lasted four hours 40 minutes and produced a rather small catch of 1,435 tons.

The quota for this season is 19,490 tons.

Here's the press release from the Department of Fish and Game.

Off and running in Sitka

The view from a spotter plane. HaulingGear.com photo

After days of waiting, seiners in Sitka Sound are finally chasing fish for keeps.

The sac roe herring fishery opened at 1:40 p.m., the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports.

Deckboss is still chasing confirmation of the opening price.

Waiting and worrying in Sitka

Checking roe maturity. Melati Kaye photo for KCAW-FM

As we wait for the start of the always frenetic Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery, radio station KCAW-FM in Sitka and reporter Melati Kaye are providing some great insights on herring market conditions.

Many worry the herring price could be down substantially this season because of the troubles in Japan, the main market for herring roe.

My thanks to Melati and KCAW for allowing Deckboss to post one of her fine photos.

Here's the latest fishery update from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Butterflies at Sitka

The Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery goes on two-hour notice effective at 8 this morning.

That means the fleet will stand ready to drop its nets quickly once fishing conditions are right.

Here's the latest update from the Department of Fish and Game.

Seiners, sea lions continue wait at Sitka

Here's a herring update this evening from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

On watch in Sitka

All hands are waiting for herring in Sitka Sound.

When they show, we're likely to see another huge harvest of the little fish, prized for their eggs or roe.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has started aerial surveys to look for herring. None were seen yesterday, but another flyover is set for Friday.

The biologists look not only for the fish, but for sea lions gathering to gorge on silvery treats.

The 49 seine boats participating in last year's sac roe herring fishery were able to take a huge harvest, 17,874 tons, thanks to the amazing strength of the stock in recent years.

The quota for this season is 19,490 tons.

The Sitka fishery does not open on a set date. Rather, fishery managers wait until the fish are aggregated and ripe with roe before firing the starting gun.

At that point, look out for a hull-grinding competition.

We're likely several days away from the first opener. Last year's fishery started on March 24.

So what will we see this season?

Boats banging like stock cars, the way they did at times a year ago?

Or monster catches worth half a million dollars, like in 2007?

A major uncertainty this year is the traditional market for Sitka herring roe — Japan. That country obviously is still reeling from the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Plenty of herring available at Togiak in 2011

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game today forecast a potential harvest of 24,805 tons of herring in next spring's Togiak sac roe fishery.

That would be close to the 25,432 tons that purse seiners and gillnetters took this past spring.

The herring are valued for their eggs, or roe, marketed almost entirely in Japan.