Seafood Market

Updated monthly.

▲ Supply steady, pricing steady
► Potential supply challenges or near-term price increases
▼ Current supply challenges and price increases

COPPER RIVER UPDATE

The Copper River salmon season will begin on May 22nd with the traditional 12-hour opener. Given the timing and proximity to Memorial Day, we expect fish to be available for sale by May 27th. The sockeye forecast is 55% above the 10-year average, which may lead to lower prices following the initial "first fish" frenzy typically associated with Copper River. In contrast, the King Salmon forecast is 25% below the 10-year average, continuing the long-term trend of declining returns. Management efforts such as closing the inside waters of the Copper River Delta have so far been insufficient to reverse this decline.

▲ King Salmon (Wild) – The Washington troll season opened coastwide on May 1st, with primary landings in Westport and Neah Bay. As discussed below, the Copper River is opening much later this year, leaving Washington fish as the primary wild salmon option going into Memorial Day.

The ADF&G has announced the King salmon quota for Southeast Alaska. Pre-season forecasts for the Situk, Chilkat, Taku, and Unuk rivers suggest escapement goals will be exceeded. (Escapement refers to the number of salmon that return to their spawning grounds.) However, the Stikine River and several others are expected to fall short of these goals.

Although the overall number of returning salmon is projected to increase, ADF&G will keep the total quota flat, maintaining a conservative management approach.

▲ Refresh King Salmon (Wild) – Refresh King Salmon is now available daily. This product offers a reliable option for those looking to menu wild King Salmon with more stable pricing.

▲ Refresh Sockeye Salmon (Wild) – New Season Production – Bristol Bay is the primary harvest area for the majority of sockeye used in frozen or previously frozen forms. The 2025 run is forecasted to be strong, with returns expected at levels like the past two years.

Last year’s fishery was impacted by smaller-than-average fish, resulting in a high volume of fillets under 1 lb. This year’s forecast suggests a stronger return of older fish, which could lead to larger sizes more suitable for food service customers.

▲ Refresh Coho Salmon (Wild) – Frozen at Sea and refresh product is available now. Product is from Haida Gwaii of the coast of British Columbia (BC).

► Halibut – Halibut supply remains tight, with prices rising steadily over the past four weeks. Processors anticipate higher landings in the next ten days, as recent dock price increases are expected to drive more fishing effort.

▲ Rock Fish – Rock Fish supply is steady.

▲ Dover Sole – Dover sole supply is steady.

► True Cod – Supply is somewhat erratic. The primary catch area remains Canada.

▲ Ling Cod – Ling cod supply is steady.

▲ Sablefish (Black Cod) – Sablefish supply is steady.

▲ Dungeness Crab – Crabmeat is currently in good supply, along with frozen whole cooked crab and sections (clusters). However, some crab packers are expected to face significant crabmeat shortages this summer.

▲ Atlantic Salmon – The Atlantic salmon market has returned to manageable price levels, driven primarily by strong production from British Columbia farms. While tariffs on Chilean and Norwegian product were expected to result in sustained higher costs, the volume of Canadian supply has effectively offset these concerns.

▲ Steelhead, Norway & Washington (Farmed) – Product is available, and pricing is stable. The whole fish size is running between 8 to 10 lbs.

► King Salmon (Farmed) – The supply of Creative™ Farm Kings will begin to decline as the farm reduces its harvest schedule from three days a week to two.

▲ Manila Clams – Manila clam supply remains steady.

► Oysters – Capital Oyster production is going offline for an indeterminate period. We recommend switching to Sequim Bay Sapphire or Island Sweets as alternatives. Supply for all other products remains steady. Customers planning large orders should contact their sales representative in advance to ensure availability.