Bristol Bay Processors Will Have Plenty of Capacity for This Season's Sockeye Season
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews} By Peggy Parker - March 28, 2016
Twleve Bristol Bay processors have told Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game they will be be able to process 35.5 million sockeye this year, 6 million more than ADF&G forecasted last fall, and 1.4 million more than the University of Washington, Fisheries Research Institute’s forecast of 34.1 million sockeye, made in November.
Capacity survey results are almost identical to last year’s.
Processors say their daily capacity will be 2.6 million pounds per company, and that will be sustainable for about 17 days.
ADF&G’s survey report notes, however, that “The projected daily capacity exceeds most historic peak daily harvests. At the maximum projected daily harvest capacity of 2.6 million fish per day, the forecast 29.5 million fish harvest could be achieved in 12 days.”
This is no guarantee that harvesters won’t be put on limits during the height of the run, a practice that is applied during years of abundant runs, and every year recently....
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