Demand for Copper River sockeye salmon fillets remains high, with some shoppers ordering on average 12-15 pounds of the succulent fish at $12.95 a pound, as salmon aficionados remain mindful that when they’re gone, they’re gone.
The celebrated red salmon fillets, in what is well known as the season opener for commercial salmon fishing in Alaska, was selling in mid-June for $11.95 a pound at Costco stores, $12.95 a pound at 10th & M Seafoods, $13.99 a pound at New Sagaya, all in Anchorage, and $29.99 a pound at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle.
Fishmongers at 10th & M Seafoods in Anchorage said sockeye fillet orders were averaging 12-15 pounds, while at Seattle’s Pike Place Fish Market orders were averaging three-to-five pounds.
The online seafood market FishEx in Anchorage, was holding its own, offering “premium portions” of Copper River sockeye fillets at $54.95 a pound.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists at Cordova, Alaska were still tabulating the preliminary harvest totals from the eighth 12-hour opener, but through Monday, June 12, the preliminary harvest total stood at some 446,269 salmon, brought to processors in 2,627 deliveries.
The total included 424,979 sockeyes, 13,035 chum, 8,239 Chinook and 16 humpies.