The Editor’s View: Crunch Time in Alaska, And What Buyers Can do to Help
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [the Editor's View] by John Sackton - February 10, 2015
In 2013, Alaska produced 63% of all domestic Seafood in the US, and accounted for 35% of the total value.
If you exclude New England’s high value species of lobster and scallops, Alaska accounted for 42% of the total value of domestic seafood, more than twice as much as any other region.
US buyers have gotten used to relying on Alaska for their seafood programs and menu offerings. This is the basis of many campaigns about wild caught cod, salmon, and king crab, and also for many high value specialty species like halibut, black cod or sablefish, and snow crab.
But Alaska is under the gun. After decades of success with fishery management, and a healthy economic climate for the seafood industry, this year is crunch time.
A series of things are coming together that will challenge Alaska fisheries this year, and it is worth pointing out that this is a year when Alaska Fisheries need vocal public support from buyers to help weather the storms.
First the challenges:
-Efforts to restrict ...
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