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Alaskan Sea Ranching FISH HEALTH, ETC. but runs severely diminished by the nook salmon fingerlings. Estimates 1910’s. This caused the canneries to are that these represent about 22% finally come around, although they of the harvested salmon in Alaskan struggled with the mandate of 50% Alaskan waters each year. They are initially escapement (to allow broods to go put into net pens to olfactory im- upstream). This did, however work, print them on the bay, to minimize and runs increased resulting in many straying up other rivers and for fish- of the hatcheries closing down. In ermen to catch them on their return. 1933, 126.4 million salmon were Sea caught – a historical record. There are a couple each of Federal and State hatcheries that contrib- However, through the 1930’s ute, but most of this production is and 1940’s, fish traps were responsi- via non-profit regional aquaculture ble for another depletion. Hatcher- Ranching: associations (see below), plus some ies came back into the picture both scattered independents. The catch Fig. 2. Ben Contag, manager at Port Armstrong, AK of Armstrong-Keta. by the Alaska Territory Fishery Yes, they do “do ends up being about 2 to 3% of Service and the US Department of what is released from hatcheries. back and positioned wild salmon as gles. In the early days, there was Fisheries, but this did not help the aquaculture” in Alaska I try and probe for his sentiments a premium product. The result has little management of the stocks and two-decade decline. In 1959 only on why Alaskans don’t also raise been a revitalization of the salmon over-fishing severely impacted re- 25 million salmon were harvested salmon right through their life cycle fishing industry and a rejuvenation turns. Legislation in 1889 attempted by fishermen that were then four Hugh Mitchell, MSc, DVM in cages (“egg to fork” – a practice of the coastal economy. Now, these to curtail this, but lack of enforce- times the number that they were which is actually illegal in Alaska) effective tactics have sometimes ment doomed its usefulness. In the in the early 1900’s. Alaska received and point out that they could be been a bit questionable in accuracy 1900’s the act was amended to stip- statehood in 1959 and the Alaska I am sitting in the Pioneer Bar in Sitka, Alaska, chatting up a world leaders in both sea ranching (such as portraying Atlantic salmon ulate that canneries build hatcheries Department of Fish and Game farming as being less healthy, less to produce 4 times the salmon that commercial salmon fisherman. He responds after I answer his question and salmon farming, suggesting was formed. Lack of enforcement that the risk of net pen culture to premium and bad for the environ- they catch and process, but they and illegal fishing continued to be on where I am from and what I am doing up there. wild salmon is sorely overplayed. ment), but they are successful and a protested that that was something a problem, with runs being up and The response to my suggestion of long way from when the first hatch- they couldn’t afford to do. For the down through 1971. In 1974, State growing some up right to harvest is ery was built in 1869 on Kodiak Is- first quarter of the century, debate legislation allowed private non- met with extreme indignation: land. ensued as to whether the fishery profits to build and operate hatch- “Nope. Those aren’t salmon. To be a The amazing success story of could be sustained through natural eries, while the State itself worked real salmon, they have to spend at least a the Alaskan fishery’s current sus- propagation without enhancement. on improving habitat. Currently certain amount of time as wild fish. That tainability is one steeped in the in- Congress funded federal hatcheries there are 6 regional aquaculture as- just is how it should be.” trigue of: politics, in-fighting, and in 1903 and the Federal government sociations (AA’s) (down from 8 in I refrain from arguing. I actu- State versus Federal power strug- tried to impose stricter regulations, 1976), each with several hatcheries: ally can’t say that I blame this sen- timent. The Alaskan Seafood sec- tor (1 in 10 people of the Alaskan workforce is employed by some as- pect of salmon fishing) has been hit hard in the past with the explosive growth of farmed Atlantic salmon The Alaskan Seafood sector (1 in 10 from mainly Norway and Chile. In people of the Alaskan workforce Fig. 1. Port Armstrong, AK of Armstrong-Keta, Inc. the early 2000’s it was responsible for a reduction of the value of the is employed by some aspect of industry from about $400 million salmon fishing) has been hit hard Wow, you are up here helping the In the waters off of Alaska in to $130 million and caused consid- hatcheries? Good stuff. Never 2016, 109 million salmon were har- erable hardships up and down the in the past with the explosive met a fish veterinarian before. vested with a whole fish value of Coast. This was mainly due to Chile growth of farmed Atlantic salmon Thanks for your work. Those $406 million. Today, just slightly taking over a Japanese market that “hatcheries are important. I can go out and less than 30 salmon hatcheries up had formerly been 90% from Alas- from mainly Norway and Chile. troll eight 13-pound Chinook in a day and down the Alaskan coast annu- ka. Since then, a smart marketing and sell them in Juneau for $13 a pound! ally put out about 1.5 billion Pink, campaign led by the Alaskan Sea- Fig. 3. Humpback whale sounding in Silver Bay, site of Medvije Creek and Sawmill Creek Hatcheries of the Northern Them’s lawyer’s wages!” Sockeye, Chum, Coho, and Chi- food Marketing Board has clawed Southeast Aquaculture Association. 60 » » 61 FISH HEALTH, ETC. The Alaskan salmon fishery is important both economically and as part of the social fabric of Alaska. The Alaskan sea-ranching assisted industry is a testament to the benefits of aquaculture. Farming, however, is not familiar to this State, and foreign fish farming has left most Alaskans with an extremely bad taste regarding full “egg-to- fork” aquaculture. Fig. 4. Adam Olson, manager of Medvije Creek Hatchery, NSRAA near Sitka, proudly shows off the soon-to-be released salmon. Prince William Sound AA; South- ment of Fish and Game also has ern Southeast Regional AA; North- some facilities, but these are mainly ern Southeast Regional AA; Cooke for research. The total harvest is be- Inlet RAA; Valdez Fisheries De- tween 123 and 221 million salmon a velopment A and Kodiak Region- year, but Alaska’s 40-50% share of al AA. The 1.5 billion salmon are the global market in the early 1980’s hatched and then imprinted on the declined to less than 20% in 2000, bays via a stint in net pens (technol- mainly due to the farm produced ogy honed by the Atlantic salmon Atlantic salmon from Norway, farming industry of Norway). They Chile and Scotland. are funded by a 2 to 3% tax on all Getting to know some of the fish caught within a region. The dedicated individuals at the vari- fishermen are able to camp out at ous facilities throughout the Alas- the mouths of the bays and catch kan hatchery system proved to be a the returns. glimpse into why salmon enhance- The AA’s are allowed to also ment is an enormous success story. catch a certain small percentage Armstrong-Keta, Inc. a Juneau- for “cost recovery.” Alaska Depart- based private company is one of the independent “non-profits” with fish facilities situated on the south end of Baranoff Island (island of Sitka) in a cove/ residential enclave called: Port Alexander. Although they are close to NSRAA they are The amazing success story of not part of the Regional AA system and are funded solely from their the Alaskan fishery’s current cost-recovery take of a percent- sustainability is one steeped in age of returning fish. Their annual production targets are currently the intrigue of: politics, around: 105 million Pink salmon; 60 in-fighting, and State versus million chum; and 5 million Coho. In my travels around Alaskan Federal power struggles. salmon hatcheries, I have been im- pressed with the enthusiasm and openness of the personnel. Ben Fig. 5. Trail Lakes Hatchery of the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association near Moose Pass, AK. Main salmon stocked Contag is the manager of the Port is Sockeye (about 14 million a year). Manager is: Kristin Armstrong fish facility. He is one of Bates. 62 » » 63 FISH HEALTH, ETC. – an emerging predator problem. The goal of Medvije Creek is to put out 60 million chum fry a year, to- gether with lesser numbers of Chi- nook and Coho. We go over some fish health concerns and then I am called by the float plane pilot that there is an opening in the weather to try and get into “Hidden Falls” on the other side of the island. I abbreviate my stay and head back to Sitka for the rare opportunity to visit another NSRAA facility before I have to head home to Seattle. Fig. 7. Tasting the fruits of all the hard work of rearing and catching. Sitka, Alaska. Fig. 6. Solomon Gulch Fish Hatchery on Port Valdez. Managed by Rob Unger. Early in the new year, I am back up to attend the Alaskan Fish Cul- ture Conference.
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