Meet Frances Bursch: Program Specialist
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At the completion of last season, the BBRSDA gained a valuable new team member, Frances Bursch. Frances brings a plethora of experience ranging from generational fishing, non-profit work, and direct marketer entrepreneurship. As BBRSDA's Program Specialist, Frances has taken the helm of our Outreach and Quality programs and in just a few short months took on various projects including building out our virtual Pacific Marine Expo booth, spearheading quality projects with Seafood Analytics and RSW apprentice program, the annual Photo Contest and Merch Store. Originally from Homer, AK and now based out of Seattle's fishing capital, Ballard, Frances not only hit the ground running during an extremely busy time of an already busy year, she has shown to be extremely adaptable but also has equal amounts of grit and passion helping the team succeed accomplishing the BBRSDA mission for months, years, and seasons ahead!
Marketing Director Lilani Dunn asks Frances about her ties to Bristol Bay.
LD: How long have you fished for?
FB: I have fished in Bristol Bay my entire life. I grew up spending summers at my family's setnet camp on the Ugashik River in Pilot Point and started working on drift boats when I was in high school. My mom still captains the setnet camp and my sister and my dad run drift boats, my sister on the Georgette Rose and my dad and I on the Eva.
LD: What is your favorite way to enjoy Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon at home?
FB: I love a simple pan-seared sockeye portion dressed up with whatever is in reach. A sockeye salmon poke bowl is a favorite go-to in my house as well. I truly don't get tired of eating wild salmon!
LD: What do you love most about working for the BBRSDA?
FB: I love the opportunity to support the community of Bristol Bay fishermen. Whether it is helping a new direct market business connect with tools or attending a meeting about preserving habitat, the work has real and tangible meaning for the many hard-working people who rely on salmon.
LD: Tell us a bit about yourself outside of your role at BBRSDA & some fun stories you have had over the years fishing.
FB: My first job on a drift boat in high school was on the f/v K2 and we had the benefit of getting off the boat and sleeping in the AGS bunkhouse during closures. We left the bunkhouse before dawn for an early opening and we were well offshore before I looked down and realized I was wearing my slippers and my boots were back at the bunkhouse! At the beginning of the season, the captain had accidentally packed two left boots instead of a pair, which he had replaced with a new pair. I dug these two lefties out of the bottom of the boat and wore two size-13(!) left boots on deck for three days in really rough weather. I mostly crawled around on deck and no one on the boat could look at me without laughing. Needless to say, I haven't made that particular mistake again!
Outside of my work with BBRSDA I have been trying to translate my fishing boat experience to the sailing world, lots to learn.
LD: When you aren't fishing or working, what can we most likely find you doing?
FB: I recently moved to Washinton state and spend most of my free time exploring the city of Seattle as well as the wild parts of the state by skis and by boat.
