Wild Salmon Seasons
Copper River, the world's most famous Wild Salmon river, will open for fishing and begin the Alaska season at 7:00 am on Monday, May 17th, for a 12-hour commercial drift gillnet fishing period. This year, some areas that experience a high catch rate of King Salmon will be closed, which means we can expect more Sockeye Salmon to start the Copper River season. Keep in mind; the season begins with a series of short openings and closings before more bays, sounds, and rivers open up along the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
In recent years, this opener always makes headlines, with the first catch being flown to buyers in Seattle. However, the first fish of the season fetch high prices, as buyers prepare to pay upwards of over $40.00/lb for fillet! Looking forward from here, much of the west coast Salmon catch picks up after Memorial Day.
So far, Samuels was among the first to receive beautiful Wild California King Salmon right before this fishery closed its season to keep stocks healthy. Next, we hope to bring King Salmon caught off Oregon and then our first shipment of Copper River Sockeye Salmon, followed by more King Salmon. After this point, we are excited for Columbia River King & Sockeye Salmon, which tend to be larger than the Copper River Salmon. In July, Coho Salmon begins hitting docks. This seasonal fish is delicious, and it provides a unique option for your menu at a sharp price.
Farm Raised Salmon
On the other hand, farm raised Salmon has experienced a decrease in availability. The excitement over the opening of the foodservice industry has increased demand for America's second most consumed seafood…Salmon. Global Salmon supply leaders in Chile are reporting at least a 20% decrease in Salmon production. One year ago, farmers were forced to lower the amount of fish they put in the water due to pandemic uncertainty. Fast forward to today, those same suppliers have a much lower number of fully grown Salmon available to harvest.
Couple this lack of supply with the quickest spike in demand in recent history, prices have been on the rise. In addition, Navy Day, a Chilean national holiday, falls on May 21st. This holiday calls for celebration and a break from production. Norwegian Salmon suppliers have also reported much higher numbers in the earlier quarters of the year compared to late 2020. Samuels Seafood purchasers have kept the best relationships with suppliers everywhere to ensure we can keep our customers supplied better than anyone else. We have your backs and encourage you to reach out to a Sales Agent with any questions you may have.
