Welcome New Committee Members

BBRSDA is happy to have our biggest roster of committee members ever this year. In addition to three directors serving on each committee, we welcome this group as committee members and thank them for dedicating their time and expertise to helping BBRSDA achieve its mission through their work on one of the organization’s committees. 

BBRSDA’s committees reflect the organizations 5 major program areas (marketing, sustainability, quality, finance, outreach) as well as a governance committee. 

Marketing Committee

Fred Crothamel

Fred Crothamel has been fishing in Bristol Bay for decades and captains the F/V Alpental. Fred is passionate about the need to market Bristol Bay salmon and brings valuable independent perspectives to the committee.  

Warren “Buck” Gibbons

Buck is a former BBRSDA board member, a co-founder and CEO of Wildfish Marketing, and captains the F/V West Point. Buck has fished in Bristol Bay for over 30 years and keeps his finger on the pulse of the salmon business.

Reid Ten Kley – advisor

Reid comes from a multigenerational Bristol Bay fishing family and direct markets fish through the Iliamna Fish Co. Reid brings over a decade of experience marketing his catch and telling the Bristol Bay story. When not fishing or direct marketing salmon, Reid works as a Vice President for Informa Business Intelligence.   

Outreach Committee

Jaymi Linscheid

Jaymi is a first-generation fisherman with 4 years of experience owning and operating her boat in Bristol Bay and many more years of hard work in other Alaskan fisheries. Jaymi ran the F/V Montana in 2021 and will be at the helm of her new boat the F/V Aurora Reign next season. She also runs a direct market business selling her catch in Colorado. 

Melanie Brown – returning committee member

Melanie has been fishing Bristol Bay with her family on the site that her Great Grandfather established in the Naknek River District since 1979. Melanie brings this long view to BBRSDA's Outreach Committee. Melanie is an advocate for salmon, salmon habitat and Bristol Bay and has been for many years.

Quality Committee

Mark Buckey – returning committee member

Mark is a long time Bristol Bay fisherman and owner/operator of Digital Observer, Inc. Mark was a founding BBRSDA board member and continues to support the organization as a Quality Committee member. Mark has been professionally engaged with improving fish quality in Bristol Bay since 2002 

Catie Bursch

Catie has been a setnet fisherman in Ugashik for 35 years as well as a naturalist and educator. She was an Alaska Humanities Forum -  Alaska Salmon Fellow, a program designed to facilitate demanding conversations about salmon issues among leaders from a cross section of salmon policy, management, industry, activism, research, and cultural sectors.

Pat Glaab – committee advisor

Pat has worked in the Alaska seafood industry for over 35 years. From engineering and plant management to running fishing boats, he brings extensive expertise and a unique understanding of the equipment and processing infrastructure needed to produce high-volume, high-quality salmon.

Sustainability Committee

Kelly Stier

Kelly is a second-generation Bristol Bay fisherman and has been engaged over the years as an advocate for the protection of Bristol Bay.  Kelly captains the F/V Honey Badger and resides in Bellingham, WA with his wife Amie, who was a critical part of BBRSDA’s 2020 COVID-19 Fleet Team effort.  

Nicholas Dowie – returning committee member

Nicholas is a fourth-generation Ekuk Beach setnet fisherman in the Nushagak District, he has migrated to Bristol Bay seasonally every year of his life. Nicholas also serves as the president of the Bristol Bay Fair Trade Fishermen’s Association and he currently serves on the ASMI Salmon Species Committee. Complementary to his fishing experience, he has advanced technical training as credited by his PhD in the natural sciences.