By Margaret Bauman
Alaska Journal of Commerce

Alaska's seafood exports to China grew in volume and value from 2005 to 2006, as Japanese markets slipped, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute said Feb. 27.

Statistics compiled by ASMI, the state's key marketing agency for Alaska seafood, show that China imported 170,526 metric tons of Alaska seafood valued at $365 million in 2006, up from 140,028 metric tons worth $269 million, in 2005.

For the same period, the overall volume of exports to European markets rose 2 percent, up from 204,614 metric tons to 207,785 metric tons. The value of those sales rose 9 percent, from $587 million to $639 million.

China sales added up to a 22 percent rise in volume and 36 percent rise in value from 2005 to 2006 on exports, while exports to Japan for the same period dropped 16 percent in volume and 14 percent in value, according to the figures compiled by K.C. Dochtermann, ASMI's export program director.

Details on specific varieties and amounts of wild Alaska seafood exported were not available.

Exports to South Korea grew 13 percent, up from 112,929 metric tons in 2005 to 127,926 metric tons in 2006, but the value grew only from $342 million to $343 million. Exports to Taiwan dropped 14 percent, from 5,245 metric tons in 2005 to 4,512 metric tons in 2006, The value of that seafood was down 15 percent, from $8.6 million to $7.4 million, ASMI noted.

Canadians imported 56,044 metric tons of Alaskan seafood in 2005 and 66,997 metric tons in 2006, an increase of 20 percent. The value fell 9 percent, however, from $227 million to $207 million, ASMI said.

In Russian markets, the volume fell 6 percent, from 3,752 metric tons to 3,521 metric tons, while the value rose 25 percent, from $7.1 million to $8.9 million.

For Australia and New Zealand, the volume rose from 7,711 metric tons to 8,887 metric tons, while value rose 31 percent, from $21.7 million to $28.5 million.

Mexico imported 1,812 metric tons in 2005, rising to 2,006 metric tons in 2006, an increase of 11 percent. The value of those sales rose 7 percent, from $5.1 million to $5.5 million.

Exports to other countries dropped 10 percent in volume, from 28,191 metric tons in 2005 to 25,400 metric tons in 2006, while value dropped 10 percent, from $79.8 million to $71.5 million.

Margaret Bauman can be reached at margie.bauman@alaskajournal.com.