--- --- This is Robert Reierson and here is the seafood news for Monday November 9th, 2015. --- Preliminary harvest figures for Alaska salmon represent the second largest salmon return on record, surpassed only by the catch in 2013. Expectations were for 221 million salmon this year, falling short of the statewide total of 264 million fish. Pink and Sockeye salmon harvests were especially strong, which is welcome news as we learn of a potential 20 percent decrease in Bristol Bay next year. It appears that Bristol Bay Sockeye quality is losing its stigma for being inferior. Quality can often stem from WHO handles the fish, HOW it is iced, and HOW many times it is handled. It is not necessarily due to where the product is sourced, although which River it's sourced from determines the richness of the fish. --- As for pricing, IQF Sockeye Portions are in the low $5s in Seattle, and have been for several months. Fillet pricing is currently at $6.15 / LB, also in Seattle. As for H&G, 6-9s have been in the low $4.00 range on the West Coast, which is up a few points from pricing earlier this year. As inventories on all sockeye products begin to dry up, we recommend to BUY NOW without hesitation. --- Our TradexLIVE offer of the week is for 1-3lb Sinbad Platinum Sockeye Salmon Fillets - #1 Quality, Boneless, Trim C, IVP. We have 5,000 lbs packed 1x25lbs in Seattle for $6.15 / LB. Click or tap the icon above to view this offer. --- Over to Kyla now, for an update on Shrimp. --- With the Pink Shrimp Fishery closed in the USA, buyers are jumping on any opportunities for supply. The Shrimp season opens annually on April 1st on the West Coast, running until October 31st. Preliminary landings out of Oregon show harvest levels around 52 million pounds. Just above 40 million pounds were landed in Washington State - which is a new season record. A significant portion of the Washington harvest comes from Oregon waters after production capacities increased out of Westport in May. Biologists in Oregon and in Washington believe the stocks are strong, but are unclear how the impending El Nino will affect the zero-age shrimp stocks over the winter. --- Prices at the beginning of the season were just as Tradex had predicted, in the mid-$4.00 range. Average docks prices were $0.75 / LB, the highest price some fishermen have ever seen. Beginning in August, prices creeped up as fishing slowed down. In September, we reported on the large algae bloom that deterred fishermen from their preferred fishing area, which pressured pricing again. As supply is tight now, we recommend securing product when available, with Just-In-Time inventory purchasing at the $6.00 mark. --- Back to you Rob. ----Thank you for joining me for the Tradex Foods "3-Minute Market Insight" This is Robert Reierson - “BUY SMART” and “EAT MORE SEAFOOD

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