According to fish processors the season looks promising and the fishermen agree by being more optimistic. Chris Knight, executive director of United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters, is one of them. He expects better sockeye returns than last year. He added that chum returns were also busy last year and expects this again. He informed that reports from the Copper River indicate really strong numbers, so fleets on similar ocean survival rates should also expect good returns.
Taku Fisheries Vice President and General Manager Eric Norman said preliminary catches from the trollers around Icy Strait that intercept the fish indicates this will be a busy year. Alaska Glacier Seafoods Chief Executive Officer Mike Erickson also said scouting reports indicate a lot of fish around, making everyone there excited for this year.
According to Knight this year prices look even stronger and we expect relatively decent chum returns and hope for decent sockeye returns. The processors agree. Norman said that, although it’s too early to be sure, initial prices indicate chums could go up to 80 cents a pound, which he said is the highest it’s been for around 20 years.
Norman predicts that chum will be the vast majority of the fish caught. Erickson said there won’t be a lot of problems selling fish in this market, which plays into better ex-vessel prices.
