Chile, China and the coronavirus

SalmonChile, the industry association for Chilean salmon farmers, says "all salmon shipments to China have been suspended ... until the health emergency is controlled."

"This measure is not directly related to the infectious effect," SalmonChile says in this public statement. Rather, it's because of a drop in demand as Chinese authorities recommend people avoid crowds, leaving restaurants and supermarkets without customers.

Down on the farm

Icicle Seafoods is selling its interest in a Chilean farmed salmon operation to an ownership group that includes two familiar names: Dennis Guhlke and Don Giles.

All the details here.

Bristol Bay catch falls short, but value is ... wow!

It's pretty clear now that this season's catch of Bristol Bay sockeye won't reach the state forecast of 30.5 million fish.

But a strong price can make up for lost fish. And from what I'm hearing, this could be one of the most lucrative hauls in many years.

Through the weekend, the harvest tally was 27.2 million sockeye.

Catch rates are dropping fast now, with lots of fishermen pulling their boats from the water and heading home. Traditionally, it's right around this time that processors post their base prices for fish.

Deckboss hears reliably that one processor is paying 96 cents a pound.

That's a leap from the 70 cents the major packers paid in 2009.

The average Bristol Bay sockeye weighs around six pounds, so take that times 27.2 million fish and then multiply the result by 96 cents and you get a total fishery value of about $157 million.

That's the highest level in 15 years.

So, what's propelling the higher prices?

A couple of probable factors: Lower output of farmed salmon from Chile due to a virus outbreak and February's earthquake, and the collapse of the Fraser River sockeye run in British Columbia.

Alaska tsunami advisory

An intense earthquake in Chile has spawned tsunami danger across the Pacific.

Below is the most concise announcement I've seen for Alaska, courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Also, here is the latest tsunami advisory from the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

U.S. Coast Guard, 17th District

Feb. 27, 2010

Coast Guard alerts Alaska's maritime community of potential tsunami impact

ANCHORAGE — The Coast Guard has issued an urgent marine information broadcast alerting Alaska's maritime community of a potential tsunami impact to Alaska's coastal regions arriving around 3:15 p.m. today.

The first waves should arrive in Sitka with an estimated 1.3-foot wave height and subsequent areas across Alaska will be impacted throughout the evening. The largest predicted waves of approximately 2.3 feet are expected to hit Kodiak at low tide around 4:28 p.m.

All Coast Guard units have been alerted for any potential impact to Alaska's coastal environment.

Tsunami advisories mean that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or near the water is imminent or expected.

Significant widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory.

Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats and coastal structures. Hazards may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.