COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVI~ AKLI-G-79-003 c. 2 ALASKA SEA GRANT PROGRAM ALASKA Sea-Grams Marine Advisory Program... University of Alaska

Number 7 October 1979

ALASKA WHITE FISH SOME FACTS If you are a potential white ish buyer, there are two points that you should know about the development of the white fish industry in Alaska. l. Alaska has much to look forward to in terms of its white fish resources. This is because the exploitation of the resources off our coasts has been a comparativelyrecent development.Most of this exploitation was doneby foreign fleets in the early 1960s when mothership fishing becamepopular. However, with the new 200 mile law, we are able to more carefully monitor the impact of our ownexploitation, as well as that of our guest fishermen. Considerthese points, also: a! In Alaska's Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska combined,the potential

Fishery ManagementCouncil! is about 93,500 metric tons per year.

staggering 1,268,000metric tons per year for the Bering Seaand Gulf of Alaska.

stellatus!, rock sole Lepidopsetta bilineata!, flathead sole Si o lossoides elsssodon!, English sole ~Pesohn s veeulus!, snd others--is about 301,500 metric tons per year out of both the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska. At present, only starry flounder fillets can be produced and sold at a profit. d! For the moreheavily exploited perch Sebastesalutes!, the com- bined optimumyield for the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska is about 36,750 metric tons. Thereare also approximately20 other speciesof rockfish in Alaska that have commercial value. However,the interesting aspect about the developmentof these resourcesis that despite their enormouspotential, the Alaska fishing industry in the past has con- centrated on other fisheries--and for good reason. Alaska also has fisheries

Issuedin furtheranceof CooperativeExtension work, actsof May 8 and June30, 1914,in cooperationwith the U.s. Departmentof Agriculture, Dr. JamesW. Matthews, Director, Cooperative Extension Service,University of Alaska. This publicationls preparedand printed with fundsprovided by the state of Alaskaand NQAA, office of seaGrant, Department of commerce under Grant No. 04-8-MO1-187. The Universityof Alaskaprovides equal educational and employmentopportunities for all, regardlessof race, color, nationalorigin, sex, age, physicalhandicap, or veteranstatus. that are some of the most lucrative in the world, but times are changing and the fishing industry is beginning to see opportunity in white fish. This is wh the State of Alaska has invested a substantial amount toward romotin and develo in this renewable resource.

2. To be erect, the State of Alaska alone invested over Sl 600 000 in white fish development from July 1978 to June 1979. Appropriations for fiscal year 1980 will be in the neighborhood of another $1,600,000 for white fish development in Alaska. The Alaska governor's office has a state bottomfish coordinator who helps to expedite state involvement in white fish development. There has been a considerable amount of interest in white fish shown by large multinational corporations from both Europe and Asia. Alaska's development needs have even been analyzed by some very thorough researchers with surprising and sometimes controversial! results; Alaska has trade offices in Japan and Denmark; specialists with the governor's office deal exclusively wi.th inter- national trade relations; there is even an organization that deals with specific white fish development problems called the Alaska Fisheries Develop- ment Foundation. In addition to these groups, a number of agencies in Alaska exist that benefit white fish development indirectly. The Alaskan industry is in its infancy, to be sure. Most of the fishing and processing being done now is experimental, but the future may be closer than any of us think.

The above two reasons are why you, as a potential white f'ish buyer, should keep a close watch on the development of the Alaskan white fish industry. After all, since it could be one of the world's largest food fisheries, you can't afford not to.

If you want to be a serious Alaskan white fish watcher, we suggest that you contact the following people and agencies for further information:

Sara Hemphill, Executive Director Gary Vancil, Director Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation Alaska State Asian Office 814 Nest Second Avenue 1-40 4-Chome Toranoman Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Minato-Ku Tokyo 105 907! 276-7315 JAPAN 436-5286 Jim Edenso, Bottomfish Coordinator TELEX J29545 Office of the Governor Pouch A Shari Gross, Director Juneau, Alaska 99811 Alaska State European Office 907! 465-3500 Vesterdrogad 1-B 1620 Copenhagen V Charles Meacham, Director DENMARK International Fisheries and TELEX 27278 External Affairs Pouch A Mar ine Advisory P rag ram Juneau, Alaska 99811 2651 Providence Avenue 907! 465-3580 Anchorage, Alaska 99504 907! 263-1890 Alaska Sea Grant Program University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 907! 479-7086 I

,x Jim Wilson Alaska Sea Grant Program University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska 99701