Despite uncertainties about fish prices and workforce availability, the commercial fishing industry in Haines is gearing up for a relatively normal season, for now. Both Ocean Beauty’s Excursion Inlet facility and Haines Packing Company said they plan to operate this summer.

“We have been in business since 1910 and have never missed a salmon season in times of war, pandemic or for any other reason,” Ocean Beauty Seafoods president and CEO Mark Palmer said in a letter to members of the company’s fishing fleet. He said the company is currently operating its Kodiak facility, implementing protocols to protect the health of employees and working to expand recruitment efforts to combat potential workforce shortages during salmon season.

Haines Packing Company owner Harry Rietze said, for now, he is still planning to hire a full workforce of 35 to 40 people. He hopes to bring in a core crew from the Lower 48 to work jobs requiring specialized skill sets like filleting fish and processing eggs. The commercial fishing industry is considered critical infrastructure, so workers are exempt from state-imposed travel restrictions. Rietze said he’s considering chartering a float plane to bring workers directly from Juneau to the dock in Letnikof. They will be quarantined for 14 days before beginning work.

Rietze said he usually gets his entire workforce from down south, but this year he plans to source roughly half of his employees locally, offering jobs with teachable skills to residents left unemployed by the loss of the tourism economy.

Rietze said he plans to ramp up canning this year in an effort to address potential food shortages. Canning is fairly labor intensive, which will require him to hire a slightly larger crew, he said.

Rietze said he recognizes that there are a lot of uncertainties that could negatively impact the season. Disruption in the supply chain could affect the ability to ship fish out of state, and there is always the question of whether or not a market for fish will exist this year. Rietze said he is hopeful about the market for salmon as it is a good source of relatively cheap protein, and people still need to eat, even in a down economy. He said he is less hopeful about the market for luxury products like caviar.

“Early May would be a good decision-making time for us as far as changes for the season,” Rietze said. He said he hopes this season will be comparable to last season in terms of revenue, but it’s likely that income will be lower. It won’t be clear until closer to the start of gillnet season on June 21 what the fish market will look like, which will, in turn, determine the price he is able to pay his fishing fleet.

“I’m still planning on going fishing,” said Norm Hughes, who is part of Ocean Beauty’s fishing fleet. He said he is continuing to order supplies, although he acknowledged that there are still many unknowns that could influence the economic viability of fishing this year. He said he had plans to replace the 25-year-old engine in his boat this spring but has put the project on hold. If the replacement were to require specialized parts or technical assistance, it could be difficult to fly in the necessary parts or personnel.

Hughes said he needs to make $1,000 a day when fishing just to break even. This covers the cost of crew wages, food, insurance and wear and tear on equipment.

If the price of a single species of fish is low this year, that won’t necessarily be a problem, Hughes said. He has permits for a variety of fisheries. But if fish prices are down across the board or there are worker shortages at processing plants in China, it might make more sense to get a “regular job” this year, Hughes said. He said right now he’s living off income from last season, which usually lasts until June or July.

And even if all the pieces fall into place this year–the workforce, the market, the supply chain, the processing plants in China–at the end of the day, “it all depends on if there’s fish,” Hughes said.