Oceans of Opportunity: Alaska seafood products reach far beyond state's shores.

• Author: Orr, Vanessa
• Position: FISHERIES

Each year, between 5 billion and 6 billion pounds of wild seafood is harvested in Alaska. Seafood processing accounts for 70 percent of manufacturing employment, and in 2017-2018, the industry provided an average of $5.6 billion in economic activity to the state, directly employing more than 58,700 people.

While there's no doubt that this industry plays an enormous role supporting Alaskans, its overall impact, both in the United States and abroad, cannot be underestimated.

A Value-Added Resource

Seafood processed in Alaska takes many forms, from the savory fillets found on plates at white-tableclothed restaurants to fish oil used as nutritional supplements.

According to Jeremy Woodrow, executive director of Alaska Seafood Marketing Association (ASMI), most of the seafood produced in Alaska ends up as headed and gutted fish or fresh frozen fillets.

"While you might traditionally think of canned salmon as a large portion of the industry, only 15 to 20 percent of the overall salmon product takes that form, compared to the 40 percent it used to represent," says Woodrow. "While that number is still significant, canned salmon has pretty much been replaced by fillets."

One reason for this is that frozen fillets are considered a value-added product. Because it is more labor intensive than just removing the head and guts from a fish, processors can charge higher prices to retail and restaurant customers.

"Any time you can add value to a product closer to the point of catch, it's going to provide better value for that product down the supply chain, as well as a higher return on investment," says Woodrow. "This is not only better for processors but it translates to better prices for fishermen and increased value in taxes to communities and the state."

Approximately 40 percent of the catch is sold as whole, gutted fish to US and international markets for further processing. This includes halibut, black cod, and salmon, as well as some larger volume species like sole, flounder, and Alaska pollock.

"While the majority of fish are sold as food, we do have some oil and fishmeal produced in the state," says Woodrow, adding that these products, which are part of the salmon, cod, and pollock fisheries, equal only 3 percent of the industry's total volume.

"When you can get more out of a fish, that translates to a greater value of the overall fish," he adds of these offcuts, made up of the fish heads and carcasses that are ground up to make different feed...