UNIT 13 

 ALASKA SALMON 



this value was well below that ot the 1 992 harvest 

 (312,000 t) valued at $546,000,000. A fluctuat- 

 ing but downward trend in value of Alaska's salmon 

 harvest has persisted over much of the last decade 

 (Figure 13-8). Along with the downward trend in 

 value of Alaska salmon is a rising trend in total 

 worldwide salmon production (Alaska Seafood 

 Marketing Institute, 1993). Increases in world 

 salmon production are due not only to record lev- 

 els of wild salmon caught in Alaska, Japan, and 

 Russia, but especially to the continued rapid 

 growth in worldwide production of farmed salmon 

 (Folsom et al., 1992). Wild salmon, in this con- 

 text, also includes fish produced from hatcheries 

 and ocean ranching programs. 



Total world salmon production from capture 

 and farmed fisheries in 1995 was about 1,500,000 

 t as each fishery reached record production levels. 

 This 1995 production represents a continuation 

 of recent trends for increased production in both 

 fisheries and in lower prices paid to fishermen 

 (Heard, 1996 and 1997). Decreases in prices paid 

 for wild-caught salmon in Alaska also character- 

 izes capture fisheries for salmon in Japan 

 (Kaeriyama and Urawa, 1993). The largest quan- 

 tities of farmed salmon are raised in Norway and 

 Chile. In 1997, Norway's farmed Atlantic salmon 

 production of 315,000 t (Bill Atkinson News Re- 

 port, 1998) exceeded the total Alaska commercial 

 salmon harvest of 282,800 t. 



Recreational Fisheries 



Recreational (sport) fishing for salmon in 

 Alaska continues to grow. Part of this growth is 

 due to the fact that many Alaska households use 

 sport fishing as convenient method to collect 

 wholesome seafood for the table. Some part of the 

 total sport fish harvest of salmon in Alaska, there- 

 fore, might more appropriately be included in sub- 

 sistence fishery statistics. But a larger part of the 

 growth is due to increased guided recreational fish- 

 ing by tourists visiting Alaska. Sport fishing for 

 salmon in Alaska as a recreational outlet is an im- 

 portant pursuit for both residents and nonresidents 

 alike. A total of 414,449 Alaska sport fishing li- 

 censes were issued in 1995, with 58% issued to 

 nonresident anglers. More nonresident sport fish- 

 ing licenses have been sold in Alaska than resident 



Landings 

 (x 1 .000 t) 



U S dollars 

 |x 1,000,000) 



800 - 



Landings by total individuals 



Landings by total weight 



Landings 

 (x 1,000,000 

 individuals) 



- 09 



- 08 



- 07 



- 06 



- 05 



- 04 



- 03 



- 02 



- 01 



- 



1980 1985 



Year 



Figure 13-7 



Alaska commercial landings 

 of Chinook salmon, 1970-97. 



Ex-vessel value in U S dollars 



Year 



licenses since 1 990 (Howe et al., 1 996). Sport fish- 

 ing for salmon is a vital part of the recent rapid 

 growth in Alaska tourism. 



Coho salmon were the most popular sport 

 caught salmon in Alaska, representing 30.3% of 



Figure 13-8 



Ex-vessel value of Alaska 

 commercial salmon land- 

 ings, 1970-97 



1 63 



