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 Alaska
Processors
Alaska's
fishermen support a large processing industry with
over 500 licensed processors. More than half are catcher-processor
vessels that both harvest and process seafood; these
range from huge factory trawlers in the Bering Sea
to
the small independent salmon fishermen that head, gut
and freeze their catch onboard. Of the more than 200
shoreside processors, about 30 handle the majority
of the harvest. Direct marketing fishermen, who operate
outside the traditional harvester/processor relationship,
compose a growing segment of the processing industry
in Alaska. The Office of Fisheries Development has
dedicated
a section of its web site specifically for seafood
direct marketers.
The
majority of processing in Alaska consists of "primary
processing" wherein processors perform the first
modification to the seafood. Secondary processors add
value to the product, creating skinless/boneless fillets,
smoked salmon, fish patties and many other seafood products.
A growth in the number of Alaska businesses that perform
secondary processing is one opportunity for increasing
the value of the state's seafood industry.
Alaska's
seafood processors are dominated by businesses headquartered
out of state; few, if any, major shoreside facilities
or catcher-processor vessels are headquartered in Alaska.
Furthermore, Alaska is now losing processing capacity
to low-cost countries like China and Thailand. If Alaska
is to maintain its standing as a seafood processor, it
must develop incentives to increase investment in Alaska.
Processors might look to other "high cost of production" fisheries
economies for ideas on how to remain competitive.
For
those wishing to enter the processing business, the Alaska
Departments of Revenue, Environmental Conservation and
Fish & Game have created a single Alaska
Seafood Processor and Exporter License and Permit Application.
You
may also wish to study the recovery
and yield rates for the
species you’re interested in processing.
If
you’re looking for an Alaska seafood processor,
the maps below contain contact information and locations
for most licensed processors in Alaska in 2003. Updated
lists are available at Department
of Environmental Conservation’s web site.
Map
of shoreside seafood processors in Alaska
Map
of seafood catcher-processor vessels in Alaska
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