Scott Blake, head of Copper River Seafoods, carries a 30-lb king salmon off an Alaska Airlines jet at a First Fish event held Friday, May 15, 2015, at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
Spoiler alert: It’s been three decades, and we’re still fighting every day to compete. With experience, I’ve learned that my competition extends beyond other seafood; it’s beef, poultry and other proteins that occupy the “center of the plate.” In the face of market crises, conflicts, recessions, political turmoil and economic challenges, the burden I bear today mirrors the weight I carried in my 20s, but the challenges are now bigger and more complex.
The most recent data backs this up, with the industry directly employing more workers than any other private industry in the state. This means jobs for more than 48,000 workers who earned $1.81 billion in total labor income each year. These jobs can be found across the state, from the Bering Sea and the Aleutians to Bristol Bay.
The contribution our company — and the entire seafood industry — makes to Alaska is significant in terms of taxes, jobs, and economic value. For me, the most important part is helping to sustain and support the generations of fishing families, including my sons who are now commercial fishing permit holders.