Alaska Seafood

 

Alaska seafood includes king crabs, snow crabs, salmon, cod, halibut and other seafood.

Alaska is home to some of the most skilled and respected commercial fishermen in the world. Labor sources claim Alaska's seafood industry provides more jobs than oil and gas, mining, agriculture and forestry combined.

Alaska ports typically rank among the highest in the USA in both volume and value of annual seafood catches. Among the top Alaskan ports are Dutch Habor, Unalaska, Naknek-King Salmon, Seward, and Cordova.

Alaska seafood has been publisized thru Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch television series. The show chronicles several crews that work the sometimes-deadly Alaskan king crab fishery in the Bering Sea.

The Alaskan crab fishery has gone thru several changes in order to improve safety and better manage the resource. Crab rationalization, which was enacted for the 2005-06 fishery, involves individual fishing quotas which are allotted to established vessel owners. This method replaces the competitive derby-style system that was known for its fatalities.

The new crab rationalization system has its pros and cons. The issue remains a matter of contention among commercial crabbers in Alaska.

 

Salmon

Alaska is known for it's salmon. The flavor of Alaska Salmon depends upon fat content and the environment in which it matured. Alaska's water quality and the abundance of food sources give the area's salmon it's excellent flavor.

There are five species of wild Alaska salmon:

* Sockeye or Red(Oncorhynchus nerka)

* Chinook or King(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

* Coho or Silver(Oncorhynchus kisutch)

* Keta or Chum (Oncorhynchus keta)

* Pink or Humpy (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)

Wild Alaska Salmon grow in the ocean, and spawn in the rivers. Salmon spawn once and die afterward. Wild Salmon eventually migrate to sea, then return to their stream of birth to spawn.

 

Other Alaska Fish

Alaska Pollock, Halibut, Sole, Cod, and Black Cod are grouped as whitefish. These fish have flaky white flesh that is generally mild in flavor, with the exception of Black Cod.

Crabs

Alaska is famous for it's delicious varieties of crabs. Among them, the king crab, snow crab and dungeness crabs. King crabs are the largest of all the crabs caught in the world, weighing up to 10 pounds. Snow Crabs are are another delicious Alaskan Crab. Frozen snow crabs are available worldwide, cleaned and pre-cooked, ready to heat and serve. Dungeness crabs are known for their high quality meat. The 2-3 lb crabs are steamed and served whole.

 

Scallops

Alaska Scallops are largest scallops available. The highly prized shellfish have a sweet flavor and firm texture.

 

You can also find sources of online Alaska seafood in our Seafood Directory.