Just a year ago, harvesters found an abundance of nice ripe fish for a long period of time before they spawned, and caught 20,000 tons of Sitka sac roe herring, but rapid spawning this year kept the harvest at 13,500 tons, less than half the allowable catch.
University of Alaska Anchorage economics professor Gunnar Knapp says he’s optimistic about the future of Alaska wild salmon, but also cautions about challenges ahead.
ComFish Alaska, Kodiak’s annual commercial fisheries forum and trade show, set for April 12-14, will cover a range of topics this year, from salmon market trends and new safety regulations to perspectives on the Chuitna coal and Pebble mine projects.