A year ago the depressed economy made it slow going for brokers who buy, sell and trade fishing permits. But that's no longer the case. Higher salmon prices have driven up both demand and prices for salmon permits in most regions of the state.
"This year has been much busier for us," said Doug Bowen at Alaska Boats and Permits in Homer. "We've seen most of the benchmark permits up as high as they've been in the past 10-12 years, basically since the industry crashed when the farmed salmon came along."
"With a few exceptions in some areas people are pretty worked up about salmon these days, and the permit market has been responding accordingly," agreed Jeff Osborn at Dock Street Brokers in Seattle.
Bristol Bay drift permits, for example, are selling for up to $132,000, compared to $74,000 a year ago. Another hot item is Prince William Sound seine permits. Seine permits "went insane," Bowen said, and practically doubled in value over night to $150,000-$160,000. Dock Street has PWS seine permits listed as high as $195,000.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Capital City Weekly (Alaska).