Bristol Bay Salmon Fishing 2013 – GO WILD WITH AK SALMON

F/V Breanna A. Crew – Getting Ready for Tendering in AK

A lot of boats are already up in Alaska – the next few days in the Lower 48 out of Fishermen’s Terminal Seattle, Lake Union and fisheries throughout are loading their boats to be ready for another season in Alaska, either fishing, taking fish, processing and or barge runs.

The 2013 Bristol Bay Economic Report has promising results, the researchers at the University of Alaska’s Institute for Social and Economic Research completed a study summarizing the far reaching economic impacts of the Bristol Bay commercial sockeye salmon fishery — the most valuable and largest salmon fishery in the world.

Bristol Bay’s sockeye fishery supplies almost half of the world’s wild sockeye salmon.  In 2010, harvesting, processing, and retailing Bristol Bay salmon and the multiplier effects of these activities created $1.5 billion in value across the United States. The total value of Bristol Bay salmon product exports in 2010 was equal to six percent of the total value of all U.S. seafood exports.

The Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery supported 12,000 fishing and processing jobs during the summer salmon fishing season.  Measuring these as year-round round jobs, and adding jobs created in other industries, the Bristol Bay salmon fishery created the equivalent of almost 10,000 year-round American jobs across the country, and brought Americans $500 million in income.

June 7, 2013 Update:  “I think all the excitement is on the east side right now – there were some subsistence fishing that caught some, we won’t start counting until the 17^th” –  stated Fish & Game out of Dillingham AK.

In River Fishing – Naknek AK River  –  ©Photo by Anton Littau

“South Side – It’s really warm in the mid 60’s, last night they were saying Dillingham is going to get up to 72 degrees.  I know a site getting 10 fish a tide right now – but I don’t know how  many sites that was.  I was told Fish & Game said fish will be here soon.  Lots of fishermen are up early this year, they think it’s going to be an early season.”  F/V Kira, Bruce Anderson Gillnet Fishermen, South Naknek.

Captain Pete Girvan just put a bobolus bow on his 32ft gillnetter F/V Kristina Mae.  “I’m 3^rd generation fishermen Norwegian and Scottish – I’m a square head.  I have my own boat and my dad has his boat, we fish together.  It’s a real good sea-boat – you don’t have a lot of buoyancy when you stuff it, drop it a couple of inches – it helps keep the thing from plowing.   I can go faster in shitty weather, it will be a nice shock absorbers and with good fuel efficiency it will be a trifecta. It’s already got a square bottom,  I took and squared off the corners,  I got 4000 – 5000 pounds of floatation it doesn’t roll around.  I store my boat at South Naknek it’s my happy place,” describes cheerful Pete.

Taking Fish When the Boat is Stuffed!

Outside of the Pacific Northwest it’s astonishing how many common consumers have no idea what the ‘real’ difference is between ‘farmed’ and ‘wild’ salmon.  If all you have tasted is ‘farmed’ it only takes one bite of ‘wild’ to change your mind forever, nothing beats the freshness and quality of wild salmon.

You don’t need a Marine Biology Degree to pick out what salmon is best for you – wild vs. farmed.  Read the label – it’s clearly stated on the packaging of the salmon.  By going wild you will get a firmer, less fatty fish.  By going ‘farmed’ expect a mushy fish that melts more like mashed potatoes in your mouth.’   When dining out; do be sure to ask your server if the salmon is ‘wild or farmed’ chances are outside of the Pacific NW even fine dining restaurants are serving more ‘farmed then wild’ you will find also a lot of times the server has no idea – you may have to take it a step farther to confirm with the chef where they got the salmon.  In short; taste, color, texture are a giveaway between – wild and farmed.  Best Pick = ‘Go Wild with your Salmon!

Support ‘Wild Salmon’ from Alaska. Its lively hood, tradition and legacy should be preserved and carried on.  Be a wise common consumer – choose healthy, fresh, wild salmon!

www.adfg.alaska.gov/FedAidPDFs/SP13-03.pdf

“GO WILD WITH ALASKAN SALMON!”