As the Alaska pollock "B" season -- which started in early June -- heads into August producers remain concerned not only about the size of the fish being caught, but about the ability to hire enough workers in a tight labor market and ongoing issues with inflation.

"I think up until just recently, especially for inshore sectors, they did not have enough people at plants to focus on higher margin of value," an executive with major inshore plants in Alaska, told IntraFish.