Salmon Season a Nail Biter, Ends as One of the Best; Early Wrap up

Alaska’s statewide salmon catch of nearly 200 million is just six percent off what managers predicted, and it is on track to be the 8^th largest harvest since 1975. How to sum up the 2019season in a single word?

“Unpredictable” 

Forrest Bowers, deputy director of the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game commercial fisheries division, is a nearly 30 year management veteran.

The brightest fishing spot was the strong returns of sockeyes which produced a catch of over 55 million fish, the largest since 1995...

Canada Boosts Wild Pacific Salmon Support by $15 Million Annually

The research and management of wild Pacific salmon received an additional $15 million in annual funding on September 6.

The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced the increased support meant to protect the species through scientific information while considering the impacts of climate change.

“We know that our wild salmon populations are facing urgent threats – from warming waters caused by climate change to the loss of important habitat that they migrate through,” Wilkinson said in a news release...

Three New Viruses Discovered in Endangered Wild Pacific Salmon Populations

Scientists recently discovered three new viruses, including one from a group of viruses never before shown to infect fish, in endangered Chinook and sockeye salmon populations.

While the impact of the viruses on salmon health isn't yet known, all three are related to viruses that cause serious disease in other species, according to a press release from the University of British Columbia.

"We were surprised to find viruses which had never before been shown to infect fish," UBC researcher Gideon Mordecai ...

VIDEO: U.S.-China Trade War; Pink Salmon Landings; Gulf of Mexico Landings and More

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss the latest tariffs implemented on seafood in the U.S.-China trade war; the latest on pink salmon landings; disappointing shrimp landings in the Gulf of Mexico; and more! 

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. Maine Lobster season is here, and although the traditional butter and lemon pairings are delicious, there are many ways to enjoy lobster. Grill it as a main course to accompany refreshing sides...

All Mowi Farms in Campbell River Area Now Certified to ASC Salmon Standard

Mowi Canada West is pushing towards its goal of becoming certified to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council Salmon Standard in all its farms in British Columbia.

With Mowi’s Lee Bay farm achieving certification to the standard, every farm in the Campbell River area is now certified. The Lee Bay farm also marks the 24^th overall farm in the province to earn the certification.

Mow Canada West is close to achieving its goal of complete certification in B.C. with 80 percent of their farms earning the ASC label...

British Columbia Continues to Invest in Wild Salmon Conservation in Vancouver Area

On August 23, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson announced five projects set to preserve wild salmon and their habitats in Vancouver.

Days later, the Canadian and British Columbian government announced similar funding for projects to protect salmon on Vancouver Island. Wilkinson and Courtenay-Comox MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard noted that four Vancouver Island projects will be funded under the British Columbia Salmon Restoration Fun (BCSRIF) for a total of $2.2 million...

Chum Salmon Catches Lackluster, a Bust in Southeast Alaska

A poor showing of chum, or keta, salmon is one of the season’s biggest fish flops for Alaska fishermen this summer.  

Alaska managers predicted a record harvest of 29 million fish, but under 14 million have been taken so far.

The bulk of the 2019 catch – 18 million - was supposed to come from Southeast Alaska but fewer than four million were landed through August 26.

“It looks like our overall chum harvest is going to be quite poor this year.

Andrew Piston is the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s...

Government of Canada, British Columbia Invest in Wild Salmon Conservation Projects in Vancouver

The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Jonathan Wilkinson announced five Vancouver-based projects that will be funded through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration Fund (BCSRIF).

The investment of nearly $2.7 million towards projects related to the BCSRIF will help restore and enhance salmon habitat to support the British Columbia fish and seafood sectors. The projects will also focus on improving the sustainability of wild Pacific salmon and other fish stocks.

“Our government understands the need to protect and restore salmon habitats as..."

VIDEO: Codfather Settlement; Alaska Salmon Landings; Seafood Expo Asia Canceled and More

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Amanda Buckle as they discuss Carlos "The Codfather" Rafael's settlement; Alaska salmon landings; and the cancellation of Seafood Expo Asia. Plus, learn more about the addition of frog legs to Urner Barry's seafood market coverage.

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. Maine Lobster season is here, and although the traditional butter and lemon pairings are delicious, there are many ways to enjoy lobster. Grill it as a main course to accompany refreshing sides...

SeaShare Aiming to Send 800,000 Servings of Seafood Across Alaska This Year

SeaShare, a non-profit organization that was created to help the seafood industry donate to hunger-relief efforts in the United States, has set a goal to donate 800,000 servings of seafood across Alaska this year. And the organization is well on their way.

The group announced in an update that they just sent 96,000 servings of halibut to Nome and Kotzebue thanks to transportation provided by the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. The donation was part of an annual contribution from Ocean Beauty Seafoods...

Center for Biological Diversity Sues Trump Administration Again After 3 Orca Deaths

The Center for Biological Diversity and Orca Relief Citizens' Alliance sued NMFS this week for "ignoring a legal petition to protect critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales in the heart of their Salish Sea habitat," the groups said in press release.

The groups' filing says NMFS did not respond to a 2016 petition to limit vessel traffic in the whales' prime feeding grounds in the Salish Sea and to create a whale protection zone from April through September to protect the SRKW members from noise...

Hilborn: Washington Salmon Runs Will not be Restored With More Hatcheries

The op-ed by several state senators recommending that Washington State should follow the example of Alaska and rebuild salmon by more hatcheries runs fails to recognize the history of salmon hatcheries in Washington, and fails to understand that hatcheries were not responsible for the revival of Alaskan salmon fisheries.  We have something like 300 hatcheries in the Pacific northwest – if hatcheries were the solution we would not have a problem.  While our hatcheries do provide some fishing opportunity that would otherwise not exist...

From Harvest to Home: Fresh Bristol Bay Sockeye Lifts Sales at Five Retailers Nationwide

The second largest salmon season ever recorded got started in July but promotions for fresh Bristol Bay sockeye began in June. The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association's (BBRSDA) fresh sockeye retail promotions continued through July and now sales results are in. 

All five of the retail participants --  HEB, New Seasons, QFC, Rosauers, and Wegmans -- saw record sales increases over previous years. Summertime fresh promotions were organized and supported by the BBRSDA at over 270 locations across the country...

Alaska Salmon Update, Mid-August

Alaska’s statewide salmon catch is approaching 131 million fish with pinks and sockeyes making up 90 percent of the total.

While the statewide 2019 sockeye harvest is on track to be the fourth largest on record – thanks to a 43 million fish haul at Bristol Bay – with a few exceptions, catches for all other salmon are lagging in most regions.

Statistical week number 32 is an important point as it often marks the peak or drop off point of some species.

In a typical year, three percent of the annual sockeye harvest occurs after...

Five Bites Snazzy Newsletter Showcases AK Salmon

Saturday, August 10, is Wild Alaska Salmon Day and some snazzy, snack sized stories will enhance any event.

“I don’t think it’s an overstatement. There is no other species that is as important to Alaska as salmon. Full stop.” 

Peter Westley is an assistant professor of fisheries at the University of Alaska/Fairbanks. His students compile a Five Bites of Salmon newsletter that showcases stories and research that connect salmon to people all across Alaska. 

“You can think about it as helping to slowly increase salmon literacy and build the network...

Strong Value Boosts Norwegian Seafood Exports in July 

Norway enjoyed a strong month of July when it came to the country’s seafood exports. Norway exported 164,000 metric tonnes of seafood last month, which was a six percent drop in volume, but the $870.1 million in value was an 11 percent improvement, a solid sign for the country.

“Seafood exports fluctuate with the seasons and normally July is our weakest export month,” Paul T. Aandahl, Seafood Analyst with the Norwegian Seafood Council said.

According to Aandahl, July 2019 exports numbers was the second-highest in history...

VIDEO: MLA Withdrawal; Food Export Northeast; Salmon Retail; Cell-Based Seafood Coalition

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss the MLA's withdrawal from an April 2019 TRT agreement; funding for Food Export Northeast; salmon retail analysis and the new Cell-based food coalition.

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. The rocky coast of Maine is home to one of the most iconic and sustainable fisheries in the worlds. With 5,600 independent lobstermen from multi-generational families, the Maine Lobster industry is committed to bringing sustainably harvested lobster from trap to table...

LISTEN: U.S.-China Trade War Heats Up; Pink Salmon Landings; Tilapia Analysis and More

Join SeafoodNews Podcast hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss the latest from the U.S.-China trade war; salmon landings in Alaska and Russia, an update on the tilapia market; subpar shrimp landings in the Gulf of Mexico and more!

Pink Salmon Landings of Ten Million Just This Week Bumped Season Totals to 116 Million

The most recent salmon landings report by economist Garrett Evridge of the MacDowell Group, which lists totals as of Saturday, August 24, has been followed by heavier than expected pink salmon landings in Prince William Sound and Kodiak. Just in the first part of this week, pink landings statewide went from 106.8 million on Saturday to 116.1 million as of the end of Tuesday. 

That means last week’s total of more than 20 million pink salmon harvested could be met again this week, or...

Russia On Track for High Salmon Harvest

Russia posted a significant increase of salmon catch this year, despite earlier forecasts of its inevitable decline after several years of record catch.

According to latest data of Rosrybolovstvo, the volume of Pacific salmon catch in Russia since the beginning of 2019 has reached 420,000 tonnes, which is 46% higher compared to the figures for 2017. The landings are slightly lower than the initial forecasts, made by analysts and experts of Rosrybolovstvo for the entire salmon fishing season in Russia, which were forecast at 461,000 tonnes.

The biggest growth of catch...

Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon Takes on DC

In what’s got to rank near the top for savvy promotions, Bristol Bay sockeye salmon will be featured for a week next month at nearly 30 restaurants in Washington, DC. 

“Really they signed up very quickly. All we had to do was tell people we have this massive wild salmon fishery in Bristol bay Alaska, the largest in the world, and we want to create a special event around that to connect people to the place that it comes from and the people.”

Andy Wink is director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood...

Sea Lice Costing Norway's Salmon Sector Over $560 Million a Year

According to research institute Nofima, sea lice is costing Norway's salmon sector over $560 million USD, or 5 billion kroner, a year.

Companies are using different treatments to reduce sea lice, which comes with additional costs. This has been reflected in a couple of recent earnings calls.

Mowi revealed earlier this week that sea lice levels at their Norway sites are beginning to increase.

"It's the time of the year where conditions catalyze the development of sea lice," said Glenn Flanders...

Mowi Acquires Norwegian Salmon Farmer K. Strømmen Lakseoppdrett 

Mowi announced that they have completed the acquisition of Norwegian salmon farmer K. Strømmen Lakseoppdrett from K. Strømmen Holdings AS.

According to the company, 30% of the purchase price will be settled through the issuance of new shares in Mowi. The Mowi board of directors approved 1,071,372 new shares to K. Strømmen Holdings AS at a price of NOK 226.7855 per share.

Undercurrent reports that the total cost of the acquisition is NOK 790m.

Pink Salmon Disaster Funds Awaiting Applicants

This is Alaska Fish Radio. I’m Laine Welch – 

Applications should now be in hand for Alaska salmon fishermen and processors hurt by the 2016 pink salmon fishery failure.

NOAA Fisheries last month approved $56.3 million in relief funds for fishery failures at Kodiak, Prince William Sound, Chignik, Lower Cook Inlet, South Alaska Peninsula, Southeast Alaska, and Yakutat. 

Funds are being distributed by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC).

Salmon permit holders who show losses from the pink bust will split $31.8 million based on average dockside values over even years...

Alaska Salmon Landings Now at More Than 155 Million Fish, 73% of Pre-Season Forecast

Total salmon landings in Alaska have reached more than 155.8 million through August 18th. Pink salmon landings from Prince William Sound and Kodiak were mostly responsible for the uptick of 30 million salmon in one week, the largest weekly harvest of the 2019 statewide season. Pink landings are now at 87.2 million salmon.

Sockeye salmon is still being produced around the state. Last week’s harvest of 500,000 sockeye brings the 2019 total to more than 54.5 million fish. The five-year average indicates statewide production...

NOAA Report: Approximately 85% Of West Coast Estuary Habitat Lost 

A report published in PLOS ONE reveals that "more than a century of development" has erased approximately 85% of historical tidal wetlands in California, Oregon and Washington. However, there is good news. Scientists with NOAA Fisheries' Northwest Fisheries Science Center have found potential restoration opportunities.

Estuaries are important as they serve as "critical nurseries" for juvenile salmon and steelhead while they transition from freshwater to the ocean.  

"Given how valuable estuaries are to so many different species, it's important to understand how much they have changed and...

VIDEO: Chinese Tariff Lists; Salmon Catch Update; Tuna Analysis; and Captain Neill’s Owner Guilty

Join SeafoodNews Weekly Video hosts Lorin Castiglione and Ryan Doyle as they discuss seafood products included on the USTR's Chinese tariff list; latest salmon catch numbers out of Alaska; the latest analysis on the tuna market; and a guilty plea from the owner of Captain Neill's Seafood.

This episode was brought to you by Maine Lobster. Maine Lobster season is here, and although the traditional butter and lemon pairings are delicious, there are many ways to enjoy lobster...

Tesco Updating Farmed Salmon Standards; Supporting Suppliers As They Switch to Algal Oil

UK grocery retailer Tesco announced that they are currently working with their salmon suppliers to encourage more sustainable feeding practices.

Tesco launched their "Little Helps Plan" back in 2017 as a way to make a difference in three areas: their people, products and places. As part of their commitment to "lead the industry in addressing the key sustainability challenges in our supply chain," the company explained that they have been exploring how more algal oil can be incorporated into the diet of farmed fish...

Wild Alaska Salmon Day Celebrates Link Between Fish, Humans, and Alaskan Culture

Tomorrow is the fourth annual Wild Alaska Salmon Day. Alaskans everywhere will be celebrating by eating, preserving, singing the praises of, fishing for, or otherwise being part of the season that celebrates Alaska's favorite seafood.

On May 8, 2016 Alaska’s then Governor Bill Walker signed the newest state holiday into law.

“Nearly all Alaskans are impacted by salmon in some way – whether through subsistence, recreational, or commercial fishing, or just sheer appreciation for Alaska's abundant wildlife,” Walker said as he signed the bill. “HB 128 is intended to...

Katzie First Nation to Use WWF-Restoration Fund Grant to Restore Salmon Spawning Ground

Katzie First Nation, recipient of the 2019 WWF-Canada Restoration Fund grant, will rebuild the habitat of the Upper Pitt River’s Blue Creek. The $150,000 CAD grant will go towards improving the habitat, which is a crucial area for salmon, and the traditional home of Katzie First Nation.

“Our longstanding relationship with nature focuses around the Pitt and Fraser Rivers and we have always focused on salmon as a sacred animal and focal point to our culture,” Rick Bailey, Katzie First Nation Councilor said...