After a five-day stand down from their season, Kodiak salmon fishermen have signed a contract for sockeye and pink salmon that may have the fleet fishing as soon as Sunday.

The Kodiak Chapter of the United Salmon Association, which negotiates prices for salmon fishermen in the Kodiak area, has arrived at a contractual agreement with a single processor, True World Foods, formally known as International Seafoods of Alaska.

"This has been a rough year for negotiations, but we believe the prices offered by True World Foods match market conditions more closely than those prices offered by any other Kodiak area processor," said Thom Wischer, chairman of USA/Kodiak and a member of the USA Negotiating Committee.

More than 95% of the Kodiak seine and set gillnet fleets have been standing down from the salmon fishery since it opened at noon on June 9. After a week of intensive negotiations with processors and daily consultation with the Kodiak fleet, the USA/Kodiak Negotiating Committee has agreed to a contractual price of $.59/lb. for sockeye salmon and $.07/lb. for pink salmon. Final prices are tied to market performance of the fish; fishermen will receive post-season price adjustments if sockeye salmon sell for more than $1.65/lb. for fresh or frozen sockeye product, and more than $41/case for pink salmon tall cans. Initial offers from Kodiak processors were $.45/lb. for sockeye and $.05/lb. for pink salmon.

At this time, none of Kodiak's remaining four processors are prepared to accept the terms agreed to by USA/Kodiak and True World Foods. Therefore, all fishermen in the Kodiak area, regardless of their traditional processing affiliations, will sell fish to TWF for at least the first 48 hours of active fishing. Additionally, all Kodiak salmon fishermen will continue to sell fish to True World Foods until such time as one or more additional processors are able to offer a price that is acceptable to fishermen.

"This has been a grim week for our fishermen, but the gains in price offset the loss of six fishing days." Wischer said. "Solidarity among the fleet - seiners and set gillnetters alike - was unwavering. We could not have asked for more support for the work of our Negotiating Committee. The Kodiak fleet has proved its strength in the face of harsh adversity."

©1999 USA Kodiak kodiak@unitedsalmon.org