Alaska Salmon Catch Nears 120 Million, Fueled by Massive PWS Pink Return  A series of record-breaking fishing days for Prince William Sound pink salmon has elevated the fishery's catch to 45 million fish reports Peggy Parker. Last Monday’s single-day haul of 2.9 million pinks broke record for that day, along with the cumulative totals for that day in a season. Single-day harvests last week also broke records for that day in the season, due mostly to the slight lag in the timing of this year's pink return. According to Parker the “all-you-can-catch aspect of the fishery this year indicates a healthy return to Prince William Sound streams and hatcheries.” The surge in PWS pink salmon has boosted Alaska’s total summer salmon haul to 119.9 million salmon as of July 28. A labor shortage among seafood processors in PEI is hurting the provinces ability to supply new international markets according to the PEI Seafood Processors Association. There are not enough local people to run the seafood plants on the Island, said executive director Dennis King, and new federal rules mean temporary foreign workers can only make up a maximum of 30 per cent of staff from fish plants. "Our processors are challenged to meet existing contracts with the labor shortages they face in rural communities," said King."Ramping up production for new markets is just not possible with the current labor supply situation." In other news combined “A” and “B” season Alaska Pollock surimi production is up over last year’s levels through July. This helped offset waning surimi supplies in Japan between April and May. Still the Japanese surimi inventory is trending below last year’s volumes largely because of a lack of Pollock surimi. Meanwhile, tilapia producers in Southern China say pond seedlings are down as much as 50 percent in operations based in Hainan, Guangdong and elsewhere. Farmers say they backed off reseeding their ponds since global prices and demand are low in 2015. The expectation among the region’s producers is for tilapia supplies to be tighter come August and September. Finally Harbor Seafood has named Lars Schweig as its Director of Retail and Club Sales and promoted Jon Heinold to Field Sales Director. “We’re really excited to have these two very talented individuals join the Harbor team,” said Alex Cook, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. ”Their extensive experience will make a significant contribution to the company’s long-term plan.”