Premium Fish for a Premium Brand

Our brand image, Wild Taste, Amazing Place, is built on the fishing grounds and our brand promise must be supported by a premium product if we are to secure long term customer loyalty.

The ability to drive up the demand for Bristol Bay Sockeye, Alaska's Sockeye Salmon, hinges upon our members' commitment to delivering the highest quality sockeye at every offload. 

Every Bristol Bay fisherman is an ambassador of the Bristol Bay sockeye brand; it is your brand - and catching, handling and delivering in a way that ensures quality, not only elevates the brand but also reflects the pride Bristol Bay fishermen take in participating in this remarkable, sustainable fishery.

Quality Programs

Scholarship for Fishermen - Reimbursement for RSW Operator Classes 

BBRSDA will reimburse members 50% of the cost of their RSW class up to $500.

RSW systems are critical to the operations of nearly all Bristol Bay drift gillnetters and the amount of revenue fishermen stand to lose if they fail during the season is substantial. Understanding your own RSW system helps you better maintain your equipment, make repairs and communicate effectively with RSW technicians in the event of an issue on the water.

Marine Refrigeration Solutions offers 3-day courses that have been recommended by BBRSDA members. The cost is $1200, BBRSDA will reimburse BBRSDA members or their designated crew member $500 upon completion of the course. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

IMS offers a 4-hour class in person and virtually. The cost is between $100- $200. BBRSDA will reimburse BBRSDA members or their designated crew member 50% of the class cost upon completion of the course. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

* Each permit holder is eligible for one reimbursement, if a permit-holder wants to delegate a crew member to take the class in their place, they can do that. Please include the crew member’s name and contact information in the ‘other notes’ part of the linked form below to apply the reimbursement to their course.

NOTES:
- If you would like to take a similar course from another trainer, the same reimbursement may apply. Please contact frances@bbrsda.com to confirm eligibility.
- BBRSDA will reimburse people who took the class recently (since 01.01.2022) if there is remaining budget after new registrants for 2024 are reimbursed. Submit the same form with the button below to request it.

You must register for the class with the RSW company/instructor. Then submit this form to request a reimbursement from BBRSDA. Note: the reimbursement will be paid upon confirmed completion of the class.

Expanding RSW Service Capacity RFP - Open RFP

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) has allocated $24,000 in the 2024 budget to help fund the additional employment and training of RSW technicians in Bristol Bay. Funding will be distributed as grants of up to $8,000 per applicant. 

This program, called “Expanding RSW Service Capacity in Bristol Bay,” is designed to support existing RSW technicians to hire and train apprentices to help perform more maintenance and repairs to RSW systems of Bristol Bay drift boats. The ultimate goal of the program is to produce more chilled salmon and a higher quality Bristol Bay sockeye salmon product. It is designed to help existing RSW technicians increase their capacity to efficiently serve more boats in the short term and involve and train more technicians in Bristol Bay in the long term. This program is seeking all reasonable proposals that achieve the program’s intent. 

This request for proposals (RFP) is open to any established RSW business, processor, entity, or organization, and is not limited to those that receive this announcement directly.

Read the full description in the OPEN Request for Proposal (RFP)
Complete and submit this proposal to apply: Proposal
DEADLINE: April 12th, 2024

Monitoring Quality at Retail

In effort to improve the quality of sockeye salmon and the way it is displayed in grocery stores, please send in photos of the sockeye salmon you see for sale. We want to see both positive and negative examples.

In addition to supporting high quality standards on board harvester boats, BBRSDA’s quality program seeks to collaborate with processors, distributors, and retailers to address quality issues throughout the chain of custody. BBRSDA will consolidate the photos you send us and use them to initiate constructive conversations with retail stores to help them improve handling, display, and sourcing or recognizing and celebrating those excelling in presentation.

As fishermen, we are proud of our catch and want to it to be offered for sale in the best possible way. Thank you for sharing the sockeye displays you are seeing through the form below.

USDA REAP Grant Information

Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC) offers low-cost energy audits for fishing vessels and access to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) improvement grants that can be used for upgrading or installing RSW, insulating fish holds, hold zoning, replacing lighting, and more. The energy audit is the first step in applying for a USDA REAP grant that covers 25% of the cost of improvement. 

For example, the cost of the targeted fishing vessel audit runs between $500 and $625. A commercial fisher looking to purchase an RSW system and have it professionally installed for $50,000 would be able to apply for a USDA grant that reimburses them for $12,500 of the system cost. 

So far, 17 Bristol Bay commercial fishers have used this program and received $210,818 in grant funding for energy efficiency improvements including RSW upgrades and adding hold insulation.

You can submit the REAP application on a rolling basis, however, it is important to know applications are reviewed on October 31st and March 31st. The process can take a few months so it is recommended that you submit your application before the October 31st review if you would like reimbursement before next fishing season in spring of 2021.  

Important note: an applicant cannot have spent any of the money for the improvement before submitting the application. You must show you have funds available to pay for the equipment/installation costs when you submit the REAP grant application. If awarded, you will then be able to submit your receipts and request a 25% reimbursement.

SWAMC offers support to commercial fishers with the USDA REAP grant application process. 

LINK: USDA REAP Grant Program Info and FAQs

LINK: SWAMC Program Website

Chilling Your Fish

Not long ago the only method available for Bristol Bay fishermen to chill their catch was through the use of an RSW system, but starting in 2008 that began to change. Today, ice is available in most fishing districts and many processing companies are distributing ice on tenders, making it even more convenient. Improved availability has made slush ice a viable alternative to RSW. Although RSW is certainly convenient and consistent, the low cost of slush bags or a fish hold insulation job are a practical choice for many, and should be strongly considered as a revenue-enhancing alternative.

Insulated Fish Holds

A wide range of methods and materials are available to insulate the fish holds of Bristol Bay gillnetters; and if done properly, insulation will provide an adequate thermal barrier for use with slush ice or RSW, and last for decades. The USDA REAP grant provides grants to assist with the cost of improving fish hold insulation, learn more at the bottom of this page.

Learn More >> 

RSW Systems

Refrigerated sea water (RSW) systems chill fish through a mechanical process that pulls heat from the catch into an evaporator, then discharges that heat overboard through a condenser.

Best Practices for Salmon Quality

Quality for Every Gear Type

A Bristol Bay sockeye, is a Bristol Bay sockeye and both gillnetters and setnetters alike are having their product scrutinized by consumers.

Many thanks to Catie Bursch for putting together this video detailing the quality practices she employs in her Bristol Bay setnet business.

Keep up the good work!