Alaska lost almost 7,000 fishing-related jobs over 2022-2023 [Video]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The fishing industry in Alaska has been hit hard in recent years, but a recent economic report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency (NOAA Fisheries), shows that Alaska has lost almost 7,000 jobs in the fishing industry.

The report comes after concerned seafood industry members saw a downturn in profit in 2023 and requested NOAA Fisheries to conduct an independent analysis.

NOAA Fisheries said they compiled data from fishing boats, processors, and international trade databases for both state and federal fisheries in Alaska.

The report estimates the Alaska seafood industry suffered a $1.8 billion loss between 2022 and 2023, and the industry saw a 50% decline in profitability between 2021 and 2023.

“The Alaska seafood industry is a major contributor to the U.S. seafood sector,” Robert Foy, director of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, said in a press release. “The social and economic ramifications of …