Reports Are of Strong Holiday Sales of King Crab and Snow Crab in Japan
Dealers in the Tokyo area are reporting strong holiday sales on king crab and snow crab at levels significantly better than expected. Going into the year-end sales season, dealers were concerned that consumers would spurn high prices, and that the economic situation of with higher sales taxes and higher prices due to the weak Yen would lead to oversupply and discounting. However, this did not happen and products sold well in what John Sackton reports is indication that there is little carry over inventory on crab in Japan, which should give more confidence to Japanese buyers this spring.
Coldwater shrimp prices are up again in early week trading in response to a global supply shortage with production out of Greenland, Newfoundland and Maine all on the decline this year. Urner Barry prices are up about 7.5 percent since the start of the month and have climbed to a five-year-high since December.
In other news the Bering Sea Pollock fleet is getting ready to head out on the water with the season’s quota up about 3 percent to 1.3 million metric tons. The first round of Pollock deliveries is expected early next week.
Finally, Karl Johnstone is out as Chairman of the Alaska Board of Fisheries effective January 27. Cook Inlet commercial fisherman Roland Maw has been elected by Alaska Gov. Bill Walker to replace Johnstone. “I expect the Board of Fisheries to hold a fair, transparent, and public process when selecting candidates. ... It is apparent to me that it is time for a change on the Board of Fisheries,” Gov. Walker wrote in a letter to the Board.
To Read Full Story Login Below.