Sockeye salmon prices soar at retail, foodservice as buyers scramble for first Copper River catch

The volume of early-season Copper River sockeye salmon hitting the US market remains small, but it is meeting an eager group of buyers, sending prices spiking.

Kyle Lee, an Alaska fisherman and founder of new online e-commerce supplier Alaskan Salmon Company, told IntraFish Thursday that fishing is picking up, and despite some rough weather on the horizon, catches have been increasing for the fleet.

Though the figures from this season's second fishery opening haven't been tallied, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game reported fishermen harvested 8,159 sockeye and 2,068 king salmon during the season's first opener on May 17.