In Alaska, salmon come first. Alaska has a long and successful track record of managing and preserving its abundant salmon resources. Record salmon runs with a recent average annual catch of 165 million salmon is the proof of this successful approach.

Nearly 95% of all commercially caught salmon in the States are harvested in Alaska. Alaska is the top producer of wild, high-value salmon, producing nearly 80 % of the planet supply of king, commercial salmon fishery is vital to the Alaskan economy and the Alaskan way of life.

Each year, the salmon industry provides thousands of roles and hundreds of bucks to the state’s economy. Commercial fishing is urgent to communities and fishing
families throughout the state.

Alaska’s fishing industry leads the state in providing 47% of non-public sector roles, and is second only to the oil industry in providing revenue to the state. In 2002, the exvessel worth for combined fisheries totaled $955 million with $162 million from salmon.

Salmon fishing allows are issued to individuals, not firms, thru the “limited entry permit system”. The total number of available authorizes for each fishery is strictly limited. Fishermen may not own more than one salmon permit for the same gear type and area. This creates a fishery made from many individuals and families.

Three main gear types catch Alaska salmon: trolling, gillnetting, and purse seining. All commercial salmon fishing boats are relatively small vessels; averaging thirty to fifty feet.

Trollers use long trolling poles to pull or troll 2 to four deep weighted lines thru the water, each with 8 – twelve leaders attached. At the end of each leader there’s a lure or baited hook. Ship size varies from small skiffs to vessels of 50 feet or more with many ranging between 25 to 40 feet.

Trollers basically target king, coho, and pink salmon as they enter Alaskan waters on their way to the spawning grounds. Trollers catch a comparatively low volume of high-quality fish. The fish they catch are bright and powerful from fresh sea waters. They are regularly
sold dressed, or filleted in the fresh or fresh frozen market.

Gillnetters set curtain-like nets in the water suspended from a float line at the surface and a weighted lead line along the submerged lower edge. Nets change in length from 900 to 1800 feet long. The net’s mesh openings are just big sufficient to permit an adult fish head to get through and become trapped at the gills.

There are two sorts of gillnets ; driftnets that are free floating from boats, and setnets that have one end attached to the shoreline. Boat size is restricted to 32 feet or less in Bristol Bay ; otherwise, the average range is thirty to forty feet. Gillnetters essentially crop sockeye, mate and coho.

Purse Seiners use a large floating net, pulled and set in circle by a power skiff, to enclose schooling salmon. The weighted “purse line” at bottom of the net is drawn closed to contain the fish. The net full of fish is then gathered to the ship thru a highpowered hydraulic block.

Purse seiners are not allowed north of the Alaska Peninsula ; ship size is restricted to 58 feet. Purse Seiners crop principally pink salmon close to the coast and close to fresh water spawning grounds where runs are highly concentrated.

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