The McDowell group made a presentation on “The Economic Impacts of Alaska’s Seafood Industry,” for ASMI. The full presentation is here.
Here are some points on the economic impacts statewide:
-Approximately 60,000 workers are employed by the seafood industry and earn $1.6 billion in labor income based off 2013 and 2014 averages.
-In multiplier effects, this is $5.9 billion in total economic activity in Alaska.
-31,819 captains and crewmen are employed in Alaska’s commercial fisheries, with a fleet of 8,618 vessels.
-The seafood industry is the largest private sector employer at 20% and offers opportunities for both urban and rural communities. It is also the second largest basic job creator after the oil-and-gas industry.
-Seafood is processed in Alaska by 176 shore-based plants, 73 catcher-processors, and more than a dozen floating processors; all employed by 25,055 processing workers and 2,904 management workers.
The presentation also shows the economic impacts by Species, here are a few:
-Aalmon provides the most jobs at 38,100 and also the highest labor income at $1,964 million.
-Alaska pollock is the second highest at 29,300 jobs and $1,506 million in labor income and is the largest species catch in Alaska by volume.
McDowell also outlined the economic impacts by region in Alaska, here are some Southeast AK facts:
-In southeast Alaska, 12,078 jobs are provided by the seafood industry including commercial fishing, processing, and hatchery management.
-Sitka has the highest wholesale value of fish at $128 million, followed by Petersburg at $100 million.
-Southeast Alaska residents own more commercial fishing boats and the area hosts more processing facilities than any other region in Alaska.
-the Alaska seafood industry exports to over 100 countries.