Market Forces Pull Alaska Seafood Processing Jobs Into a Downward Trajectory
Global market forces, the low value of the Russian ruble, a trade war with China, large pink salmon harvests and high inflation have led to historically low prices paid to harvesters and processors across multiple seafood species harvested in Alaska.
Now economists with the Alaska Department of Labor say much of what happens in Alaska’s upcoming fishing season depends on how many potential processing facility sales actually go through before the season begins.
“Long term there should be recovery, but it is hard to say how long it will take, because so many of these factors are external to Alaska and out of our control,” said state labor economist Sam Tappen, who authored an update on seafood processing sales and closures in Alaska with fellow economist Dan Robinson in the April e...