Petersburg Pilot -

Absent from supermarket fliers this spring have been ads featuring the year’s first fresh halibut, reflecting the anticipated push back by buyers to the high priced fish. “No ads in the papers. No excitement this year,” said more than one major buyer.

In recent years, dwindling supplies of halibut helped push up dock prices to more than $7/lb at major ports, and halibut fillets topped $20/lb at retail. That’s not the case this year.

The fishery opened March 23 and the prices for first deliveries at Kodiak were reported at $5.25 - $5.75/lb with a 20 pound split, then after the first...