Copper River salmon's lackluster catch has fishermen and buyers on edge

Copper River salmon fishermen in Alaska are entering yet another week with no fishing openings -- meaning no additional volumes of the eagerly sought salmon are expected to reach markets.

Through Tuesday, June 1, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADFG) has only held three fishing periods, and fishermen have brought in just 5,259 king salmon, and 52,752 sockeye salmon.

"The primary driver is lower than anticipated fish counts at this point," ADFG Area Management Biologist Jeremy Botz told IntraFish.