'From boat to throat'

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute has an interesting analysis on its website looking at the "salmon value chain."

That is, who receives what share of the ultimate (retail) value of a fish.

One example is a typical 6.5-pound Bristol Bay sockeye delivered chilled to a processor for fillet production.

For the 2011 season, it broke down this way:

• Fisherman, $8.45 or 29 percent of retail value
• Processor, $10.53 or 36 percent of retail value
• Distributor, $2.42 or 8 percent of retail value
• Retailer, $7.94 or 27 percent of retail value

The analysis offers similar breakdowns for troll-caught Chinook salmon and seine-caught canned pink salmon.

An ASMI contractor, the McDowell Group, did the analysis as part of the April edition of the Seafood Market Bulletin.

Troopers investigate Californian's death at Akutan

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: Akutan
Type: Death investigation
On 5/4/13 Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Dutch Harbor were advised of a death in Akutan. It was reported that Simon Gatpan, 31, of Santa Clara, Calif., was found unresponsive on the beach near the Trident cannery. Gatpan was transported to the clinic and pronounced deceased. Alaska State Troopers, including an investigator with the Alaska Bureau of Investigation, will respond from Anchorage on 5/5/13 to investigate. Gatpan's body will be sent to the medical examiner's office for an autopsy to determine cause of death.

Authorities investigate King Cove skipper's death

From the Alaska State Troopers:

Location: King Cove
Type: Death investigation
At approximately 0600 hours on 5/3/13, the King Cove Police Department notified Alaska State Troopers of a person missing from a fishing vessel. A crewmember of the F/V Taurus reported waking up at approximately 0550 hours and finding the skipper, Marvin H. Love Jr., 46, of King Cove, missing. The U.S. Coast Guard was contacted and started a response. At approximately 1154 hours, the crew of a Good Samaritan vessel, the Amanda Dawn, reported locating Love's body in the water approximately a mile from where the Taurus was moored near Belkofski. The King Cove Police Department assisted due to response distance and contacted the state medical examiner's office. Next of kin has been notified. The investigation is ongoing.

Arne Fuglvog's new career

Deckboss is sure you recall the sad story of Arne Fuglvog, who served prison time last year for a federal commercial fishing violation.

Fuglvog's legal troubles forced him to resign as fisheries aide to U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.

Prior to joining Murkowski's staff, Fuglvog helped regulate Alaska fisheries as a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

Well, now that he's a free man, Fuglvog has taken up a new career as a lobbyist.

He's registered Coastal Resource Strategies LLC in Washington state.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks lobbying activity, Fuglvog's firm has four clients: Aleutian Spray Fisheries, Blue North Fisheries, Fishermen's Finest and Glacier Fish.

These are all well-known fishing companies operating in Alaska.

Copper River salmon only two weeks away!

The Copper River District will open for the season at 7 a.m. May 16 for a 12-hour period, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game just announced.

Obama picks new commerce secretary

Bet you've never heard of her.

Here's a Washington Post story with details.

Sitka herring post-mortem

Here's a final update from the Department of Fish and Game on this year's Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery.