Commercial fishing for Copper River red salmon in the Gulf of Alaska has been closed since June 11, but the scramble for the celebrated sockeyes remains hot, at from $14.99 to $34.99 a pound in Pacific Northwest retail markets.
The best price as of June 17 was $14.99 a pound for fresh Copper River red fillets atCostco stores in Anchorage, where sales were closing in on 200 pounds for the day. Of the two seafood retail shops, New Sagaya was sold out of Copper River reds and 10th & M Seafoods was selling all Alaska red salmon fillets, including the Copper River catch, at $19.95 a pound, while online Anchorage seafood shop FishEx was offering its Copper River sockeye portions for $29.95 a pound.
The famed Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle had limited availability on its supply of Copper River reds at $34.99 a pound and whole Alaska sockeyes for $99.99…