Quota booms in the bay, sinks in Sitka; new buyer could plump fleet's prices

摘要

San Francisco Bay's gillnet herring fleet began fishing on a bigger quota when the 2012-13 season opened on Jan. 2. Moreover, substantial catch level reductions in Alaska's fabled Sitka fishery, plus an Alaska processor's interest in California product could boost ex-vessel prices for San Francisco sac roe harvesters. The bay's gillnetters this year will enjoy a 2,690-ton quota. That's up sharply from 2011-12 when the fleet fished on 1,845 tons. Gillnetters landed 1,634 tons of herring last season, down from the 1,727 tons caught in the 2010-11 season. But there's optimism that landings will be larger this year. Ernie Koepf, a herring fisherman and marketer of fresh herring to local San Francisco restaurants, says he found the fishing excellent last year.