Southeast Alaska's Pink Salmon Harvest Falls Far Short of Forecast as PWS Run Doubles Projections
The ADF&G now predicts the pink salmon run in Southeast Alaska to range between 30 and 35 million by the end of the season, well short of the preseason forecast. Meanwhile, the pink run in PWS is approaching 100 million fish, double ADF&G preseason estimates. Right now Department biologists are only speculating what’s behind the contrast in pink catches compared with the expectations out of each region. "From the time we got the forecast we were kind of cautioned about the warm water in the Gulf of Alaska," said the ADF&G’s Dan Gray."We're not really certain what that does to their food supplies either.”
In other news we run a profile on Jim Gulkin and his Thai shrimp business Siam Canadian Group. Canadian born Gulkin founded the operation in 1987 and has successfully expanded the business across Asia with operations in Vietnam, China, India, Indonesia and Myanmar. Last year the company posted gross sales at $320 million across 70 markets. Gulkin plans to reach $500 million in sales over the next seven years.
A NMFS analysis that supports loosening some commercial fishing restrictions intended to protect Steller Sea Lions in the Aleutian Islands was upheld by a federal judge. NMFS was sued by Greenpeace and Oceana who called the study arbitrary. However, the judge found that there is no evidence that lifting some of the restrictions would directly impact sea lion stocks. “Without such evidence, then, the NMFS could not conclude that the agency action would place the endangered Steller sea lions in jeopardy,” said Judge Timothy Burgess.
Meanwhile, leading shrimp industry researcher Dr. Donald Lightner has announced his retirement as head of the University of Arizona’s Aquaculture Pathology Lab effective October 9 of this year. Dr. Lightner has spent over forty years studying shrimp and shrimp aquaculture. In 2013 Lightner and his team found the root cause of shrimp EMS.
Finally, Trident will use the Port of Savannah’s refrigerated infrastructure to service its recently opened seafood production and distribution facility in Carrollton, Georgia. Trident will be able to produce as much as 50,000 tons of finished seafood products annually at the plant and has enlisted the Georgia port to help move the cargo. “We are excited to add Trident to our family of customers, especially within the valuable refrigerated cargo market,” said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis Foltz.
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