Alaska Yellowfin Sole Faces Lowest Harvest in Decades

Online trade publication Tradex reported Dec. 2 that Alaska’s yellowfin sole fishery is facing one of its lowest harvests in decades, which is expected to drastically reduce supply and the ability to meet the demand for this fish.

The article recommends that potential buyers put their orders in as soon as possible so that when produce becomes available they have a chance to acquire it.

Current harvests are at about 85,000 metric tons, a 25% drop from last year and 45% below the 154,000 metric tons landed in 2022. The last time harvests dropped below 85,000 metric tons was in 2000. Between 1998 and 2010, the average annual harvest was about 94,000 metric tons.

According to Tradex, Russia’s five-year average harvest of flounder, which is predominantly yellowfin sole, is about 90,000 metric tons annually, but Russia’s current harvests to date for 2024 are about 30% below the five-year average.

Raw materials pricing out of China began the year at about $1,950 per metric ton before stabilizing at $1,700 for most of the year, according to Tradex. However, prices edged up to $1,800 per metric ton for medium sizes in November, and Russian processors have not been utilizing flounder raw materials, leaving current pricing unavailable.

The lower harvests have not been attributed to any single factor, but possible impacts include adverse weather conditions and stricter rules on halibut bycatch. In addition, the size ratio of large yellowfin sole has dropped from 40-45% to just 3-4%.

Stricter halibut bycatch rules under Amendment 123, introduced in November of 2023, have further impacted the fishery. This amendment applies a variable bycatch limit tied to halibut abundance and has reduced the allowable catch by 10-35% during periods of low halibut abundance.

With halibut stocks at their lowest in 40 years, bycatch limits this year were reduced by roughly one million pounds.

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/alaska-yellowfin-sole-faces-lowest-harvest-in-decades/