Alaska’s Fishing Industry
History of Alaskan Fishing
Commercial fishing has been a crucial part of Alaska’s history since the 1880s. The abundance of salmon made Alaska the perfect place for commercial fishing. Commercial fishing was practiced at Kasilof, Kanai, Homer, Chisik Island, and around Tyonek.
When food resources were scarce during World War II, the United States learned of land filled to the brim with fish. This caused Cook Inlet’s popularity to soar. This gave birth to the new fishing era, which included the fish trap. The fish trap was responsible for so many salmon captures that it slowly decreased the salmon population. By the 1850s, the damage had been done.
The battle for Alaska to become a state began because of the decreasing salmon populations. There was a massive battle between the Alaskan residents and non-Alaskan residents. In 1959, when Alaska became a state, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game was introduced, and the comeback of the salmon began.
Modern Alaskan Fishing
Alaska, as a state, is bigger than most countries in the fish industry. Over half of the fish in the United States come from Alaska. Alaska also produces 80% of all the world’s salmon. Alaska makes most of its economy from the seafood industry, so the salmon runs are the most essential part of the year for Alaska.
The fish that comes from Alaska is known to be fresh and clean, lacking any contaminants that would ruin the quality of the fish. On average, 100 million of that quality fish, specifically Pink Salmon, are harvested annually from the Alaskan waters. Sockeye, Coho, and King Salmon are also gathered from the Alaskan waters.
Fishing Season
Alaska’s fishing industry is split into five sectors. Each sector is known for different kinds of fish and other sea life. These regions each have their own names: Southeast, Prince William Sound, Kodiak Island, Aleutian Island, and Bristol Bay.
The fishing season starts heavily during June but continues year-round. The season is also quite heavy during the months of September and October. There are some industries that go nearly the entire year, only taking a couple of months off, which includes Pacific Cod and Gold King Crab, both starting in August and ending in May. Other industries, including Rockfish and Yellowfin Sole, have seasons that don’t even last a month.
Alaskan Fishing Supplies
The Alaska fishing industry relies on a large variety of equipment. Foremost are medium-sized fishing boats that are about 50 feet long. These boats are equipped with cranes. They also have nets for catching fish, as well as other tools. They have gearboxes for storing supplies and binnacles for navigating the waters. There is an abundance of large electrical supplies and mechanical supplies used for Alaskan fishing. Each of these items is important in keeping the fishing process up and operating.
The fishing industry in Alaska depends on the availability of these fishing supplies. If a critical supply breaks down, they need a replacement part as soon as possible to avoid any significant setbacks in their work. It is essential that these items can be shipped into areas across Alaska, even remote villages that are hard to reach. Alaska Air Forwarding can quickly get fishing supplies to all areas of Alaska so the work can go on. We pride ourselves in supplying the fishing industry of Alaska. Contact us to get help with your shipping needs.
