The seafood entries cover a wide range and come from both large and small companies, according to event organizer Val Motley. Some of the more unusual ones include salmon jalapeno sausage, cod fillo pastry, smoked salmon butter, salmon frankfurters and sage salmon breakfast links.

The contest, sponsored by the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and a host of others, covers three categories: food service, retail and smoked products. A first event occurs Feb. 16 in at the Kendall College of Culinary Arts in Chicago, where a panel of judges will evaluate the products based on packaging and presentation, overall eating experience, price and potential for commercial success. The judges include representatives from SeaFood Business Magazine, Whole Foods Supermarket, Sysco (one of the nation's largest food distributors) and Easy Home Cooking Magazine, found at most grocery store checkouts. "It always generates lots of great publicity and write-ups for Alaska seafood by the various judges," Motley said.

Except for a Chicago People's Choice award, all other winners are kept secret until the Symphony event returns to Anchorage the following week. First place winners in each category receive free travel and booth space at one of the world's largest venues: the International Boston Seafood in March. "It gives them tremendous exposure. It's a great opportunity for smaller companies that don't have the resources to showcase their products," Motley said. Tom Jones of Sitka, a winner last year for his smoked salmon chili cheesecake, agreed. "It scared me there. The first one who wanted it was Wal-Mart. The next one was QVC (TV shopping network) and they wanted 3,000 cakes right now," Jones said.

Alaskans are invited to taste and vote on all the new seafood products on Feb. 26 at the Fourth Avenue Theater in Anchorage. Tickets are on sale now at CarrsTix and online at tickets.com. Find more details at www.symphonyofseafood.com.

Kodiak crabbers have not dropped a pot since the Tanner season opened Jan. 15, refusing to accept a price offer of $1.85 a pound for a 1.75 million pound crab harvest. Last week a group of about 70 crabbers joined the United Salmon Association in hopes of getting an assist from that group's marketing savvy. USA became a statewide force 10 years ago in negotiating preseason contracts for fishermen with salmon buyers, with prices based on year-round sales. "The catalyst was the disparity between prices paid at Dutch Harbor of $2.50 to $2.60 a pound, and traditionally Kodiak has gotten a higher price for their crab," said fisherman Alexus Kwachka. Local crabbers got a final price of $2.55 a pound last year.

USA president Bruce Schactler said he was excited about the group's expansion, and that a preseason contract is simply one of the basics of doing business. "Whether it's crab, cod or salmon, fishermen want to know what price they're fishing for and everything about the process, from delivery to the point of getting paid," Schactler said. "It's good for the processors and the fishermen because everyone knows what to expect. It's simply a matter of putting an agreement down on paper before the season starts, and it shouldn't be a big deal."

Schactler said USA's expansion will include all licensed fishermen. It might result in a name change to United Seafood Association.

The State Department of Fish and Game is asking Alaska lawmakers for an $8.6 million budget hike - the largest increase in more than 10 years. The request includes $2.88 million in new money from the state and $2.28 million in new federal funding.

According to Laws for the Sea, a weekly report on fisheries issues before the Alaska Legislature by industry analyst Bob Tkacz, the Commercial Fisheries Division would get $1.4 million of the new state funds with nearly $1 million of that going to salmon stock assessment improvements. Targeted areas include sockeye management work in the Central region, and projects on the Copper, Kenai and Yentna rivers to validate salmon escapement estimates from sonar counts.

A $100,000 budget boost would go to the boards of Fish and Game to allow meetings to be held in other regions besides Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. The governor is also seeking a $100,000 increase in the subsistence division's budget. Likewise, $100,000 would go to fund a new oceans policy coordinator position. The governor created the position with an administrative order and is expected to name his appointee to the $80,000 per year post in March. The coordinator will take direction from a new Alaska Ocean Policy Cabinet that includes commissioners of Fish and Game, Natural Resources, Commerce, Community and Economic Development, and the Director of State and Federal Relations.

And after several years of budget reductions, the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission is also in line for a $110,800 raise to just more than $3 million.

Revenues from commercial fishing totaled nearly $53.5 million in fiscal year 2004, an increase of $3 million from the previous year. Dockside values for fisheries were: