Review^ 



Important Species 



PACIFIC SALMON 



U.S. commercial landings of salmon were 737.9 million 

 pounds valued at $272.7 million — an increase of 63.8 

 million pounds (9 percent) and $7 1 .8 million (36 percent) 

 compared with 2003. Alaska accounted for 94 percent 

 of total landings; Washington, 4 percent; California, 

 Oregon, and the Great Lakes accounted for 2 percent of 

 the catch. Sockeye salmon landings were 253.4 miLhon 

 pounds valued at $145.9 million — an increase of 68.9 

 million pounds (37 percent) and $36.0 million (33 per- 

 cent) compared with 2003. Chinook salmon landings 

 increased to 28.6 million pounds — up 919,000 pounds 

 (3 percent) from 2003. Pink salmon landings were 298.0 

 million pounds — a decrease of 36.2 million (1 1 percent); 

 chum sahnon landings were 11 1.7 million — an increase 

 of 16.2 rmlhon (17 percent); and coho salmon increased 

 to 46.3 million — an increase of 14.0 nulhon pounds (43 

 percent) compared with 2003. 



Alaska landings were 697.8 million pounds valued at 

 $225.3 million — an increase of 67.3 million pounds (1 1 

 percent) and $57.2 million (34 percent) compared with 

 2003. The distribution of Alaska salmon landings by 

 species in 2004 was: pink, 298.0 million pounds (43 

 percent); sockeye, 252.2 million pounds (36 percent); 

 chum, 96.2 million pounds (14 percent); coho, 39.0 

 million pounds (5 percent); and chinook, 12.4 rnilhon 

 pounds (2 percent). The average price per pound for all 

 species in Alaska was 32 cents in 2004 — an increase of 5 

 cents from 2003. 



Waslungton salmon landings were 26.9 miUion pounds 

 valued at $16.6 million — a decrease of 2.5 million 

 pounds (8 percent), but an increase m value ot $4.9 

 million (41 percent) compared with 2003. The biennial 

 fishery for pink salmon went from 5.0 miUion in 2003 to 

 3,000 pounds in 2004. Washington landings of chum 

 salmon were 15.5 million pounds (up 16 percent); 

 followed by coho salmon, 6.1 million pounds (up 54 

 percent); chinook 4.0 million pounds (down 23 percent); 

 and sockeye 1.2 million pounds (down 30 percent). The 

 average exvessel price per pound for all species in 

 Washington increased from 40 cents m 2003 to 62 cents 

 in 2004. 



Oregon salmon landings were 5.9 million pounds valued 

 at $13.0 million — a decrease of 724,000 pounds (II 

 percent) but an increase of $4.2 miUion (48 percent) 

 compared with 2003. Chinook salmon landings were 5.1 

 million pounds valued at $12.2 miUion; coho landings 



were 864,000 pounds valued at $782,000; sockeye land- 

 ings were 3,000 pounds valued at $4,000; chum landings 

 were 1,000 pounds valued at less than $500; and pink 

 salmon landings were less than 500 pounds and had a 

 value of less than $500. The average exv^essel price per 

 pound for chinook salmon in Oregon increased trom 

 $1.57 in 2003 to $2.41 m 2004. 



California sahnon landings were 7.0 miUion pounds 

 valued at $17.7 million — a decrease of 299,000 pounds 

 (4 percent) but an increase $5.5 miUion (45 percent) 

 compared widi 2003. Chinook salmon were the princi- 

 pal species landed in the state. The average exvessel price 

 per pound paid to fishermen in 2004 was $2.51 com- 

 pared with $1.66 in 2003. 



SABLEFISH 



U.S. commercial landings of sablefish were 52.5 million 

 pounds valued at $134.5 million — an increase of 4.6 

 million pounds (10 percent) and $34.3 milhon (34 

 percent) compared with 2003. Landings increased in 

 Alaska to 39.6 million pounds-an increase of 1 1 percent 

 compared with 2003. Landings increased in Washington 

 to 4. 1 million pounds (up 9 percent) but value decreased 

 to $6.6 mUUon (down 2 percent). The 2004 Oregon catch 

 was 5.6 miUion pounds (up 18 percent), but value 

 decreased to $7.1 rmlHon (down 4 percent) compared 

 with 2003. California landings of 3.2 miUion pounds and 

 S3. 7 million represent a 13 percent decrease in quantit\- 

 and a 21 percent decrease in value from 2003. The 

 average exvessel price per pound in 2004 was $2.56 

 compared with $2.t)9 in 2003. 



