Overview of Alaska Fisheries Harvest Tren

Gunnar Knapp

Professor of Economics

Institute of Social and Economic Research

University of Alaska Anchorage

Updated October 2009
This presentation provides a brief overview of harvest tre

Alaska’s five major species groups: salmon, herring, halibu

and groundfish. The purpose of the presentation is to get yo

about two questions for each species group:

• How much do harvests vary from year to year?

– Are they relatively stable, or do they vary a lot?

• What is the long-term trend in harvests?

– How have average harvests changed from decade to – What have average harvests been in recent years?
The salmon fishery is Alaska’s oldest fishery by far. This graph s

total number of salmon harvested in Alaska every year since 189

1900, the harvest has never been less than 20 million fis

Alaska Salmon Harvests

0

50,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

number of fish (thousands)
Salmon harvests vary widely from year to year. This is becau

generation of salmon encounters different conditions througho

cycle—which affect how many salmon return from the ocean ea

spawn (and how many eggs are laid to start the next genera

Alaska Salmon Harvests

0

50,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

number of fish (thousands)
There have also been significant longer-term cycles in Alaska salm

Salmon catches were high in the 1930s and 1940s but fell off drast

1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Since the 1980s, salmon catches have b

higher compared to earlier periods. Scientists believe that one of th

longer-term cycles in salmon catches has been periodic long-term 

ocean conditions (temperature, currents, etc.). These changes in oce

are known as “regime shifts.” Future regime shifts could result in per

salmon harvests. Alaska Salmon Harvests

0

50,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

number of fish (thousands)
Sockeye, pink and chum salmon account for most of the volume of Alaska sa

Harvests of each species can vary widely from year to year. Sockeye salmo

particularly important because sockeye is one of the highest-priced salmon s

decline in sockeye harvests from the mid-1990s to 2002 caused a major declin

Alaska’s salmon harvests—but sockeye harvests have rebounded considera

Alaska Salmon Harvest Volume

0.0

100.0200.0300.0400.0500.0600.0700.0800.0900.0

1000.0

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

millions of pounds 
A major contributor to Alaska salmon harvests since the 1980s has been 

salmon hatchery program. About 40% of the pink salmon and about 70% 

salmon harvested in Alaska are not natural wild fish, but rather fish release

hatcheries, located mostly in southeast Alaska and Prince William S

Enhanced (Hatchery) Share of Alaska Salmon Harvests

0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

ChumPinkSockAll s

Source: 

Departmen

and Game

Salmon Enh

Program 

Repo
Since the 1990s, hatchery salmon have typically accounted for be

and 40% of total Alaska commercial salmon catches.

Alaska Commercial Salmon Catches Since 1960: 

Natural Wild Salmon and Hatchery Salmon

0

50,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000

1960

1963

1966

1969

1972

1975

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

thousands of fish 
This graph shows the natural wild salmon harvests since the 1890s (in blue). Looking 

wild salmon catches, harvests since the 1980s have been better than in the 1930s and 

as dramatically better as the total catches including hatchery fish might make y

Alaska Commercial Salmon Catches Since 1890: 

Natural Wild Salmon and Hatchery Salmon

0

50,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000

1890

1900

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

number of fish (thousands) 
Alaska herring harvests have fallen off in recent years compared with 

and 1990s but remain reasonably strong and stable compared with ea

Volume of Alaska Herring Harvests

0

1020304050607080

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service

thousand metric tons
Alaska halibut harvests increased dramatically in the 1980s. Harvchange only gradually as the International Pacific Halibut Commiss

harvest quotas as stocks change gradually. Quotas have been de

the past several years.

Volume of Alaska Halibut Harvests

05

10152025303540

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service

thousand metric tons
Alaska shellfish harvests have historically been subject to booms and busts. Note h

higher Alaska shrimp harvests were in the 1970s! The ocean conditions that were u

for salmon at that time were relatively more favorable for shrimp. Currently Opilio & 

and King crab resources are at fairly low but stable levels. Why shellfish resources c

well understood. Overharvesting is not necessarily a primary cause.

Volume of Alaska Shellfish Harvests

0

20,00040,00060,00080,000

100,000120,000140,000160,000180,000200,000

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service

thousand metric tons

OBKDcSo
After rising dramatically during the 1980s due to “Americanization” of the fishe

Americans of Alaska groundfish have generally been relatively high and sta

pollock harvests declined significantly in 2007 and 2008, as Bering Sea pollock 

Scientists are concerned that future pollock stocks could be adversely affec

change.

Volume of Alaska Groundfish Harvests

0

500,000

1,000,0001,500,0002,000,0002,500,000

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Source: National Marine Fisheries Service

thousand metric tons Othe

Atka PaciAlas
Trends in Alaska fish harvests

SUMMARY

• Harvests of most species have been fairly strong over 

two decades.

• Harvests of hatchery fish have contributed to large salm

harvests since the 1980s.

• Shellfish harvests are much smaller than in earlier boo

periods.

• A significant decline in the harvests of pollock—by far t

largest species in terms of catch volume—began in 20

• Harvests of some species (salmon, herring, crab) vary 

from year to year. Harvests of other species (halibut, groundfish) are more stable from year to year.

• In the future, climate change could result in significant 

in Alaska fishery resources and catches. But it’s very hpredict what those changes might be and what may oc