State of the Bristol Bay RSDA

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Your Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) has been very busy since last season. As executive director of your association, it’s my pleasure to offer you a preview of this year’s soon-to-be-published annual report.  

Overall, the fishery’s value and market position are very strong. S03T permit prices and wholesale sockeye prices are the highest they’ve been since the 1990s. While there’s bound to be challenges ahead, we believe this fishery’s future will be even brighter. Here is a glimpse of what we’ve been doing to benefit your business:

  • Marketing and advertising your catch in 3,300 stores where promotions boosted sales by 42%, on average in 2021. Our marketing program added several new features that helped more customers find, prepare, and learn about Bristol Bay sockeye. These efforts have helped avoid inventory heading into 2022.

  • Quality is key! We expanded RSW service capacity last year by starting a technician apprenticeship program and partnered with Seafood Analytics to test technology that provides an objective measure of quality; in addition to subsidizing ice availability and communicating proper handling techniques in Captn. Jack’s tidebook.

  • Sustainability and incredible abundance are what makes Bristol Bay so special. In recent years, we’ve stepped up our fight against the Pebble Mine by working with industry partners and building a more united coalition of stakeholders. While the job of protecting Bristol Bay is not yet over, the last coffin nail is closer than ever for the Pebble Mine.

  • Research and information you can use. Together with BBRSRI and processors, we’ve funded substantial upgrades to the Port Moller Test Fishery now featuring two fully capable research vessels and onboard genetic testing. This means more complete data with less lag-time on incoming fish. We’ve also partnered with UW’s FRI program to apply artificial intelligence advances to forecasting, both for run size and timing (we’ll be hosting/recording a forecast webinar on May 5 for our members).

  • Fiscal responsibility is something the Board and staff take very seriously. We’ve created a stable baseline reserve and a robust, committee-driven process to identify good investments. More recently, we’re looking into investing baseline reserve funds to achieve better returns than the near-zero money market rates. This type of change could eventually allow BBRSDA to reduce or even eliminate the RSDA assessment and self-fund itself through investment returns.

  • Fleet representation often requires speaking with a clear, unified voice and that doesn’t happen without having dedicated staff and board members. Port Moller Test Fishery improvements were made possible in part by representing the fleet to State officials, who increased fishery management funding last year freeing up $500,000 each for BBRSDA and processors over the next three years. We also assembled a team of board members, staff, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to have a safe and successful during the height of the pandemic.

  • Outreach makes everybody more informed and therefore more capable. Without BBRSDA, the KDLG Fisheries Report either could not be produced or would include much less useful content. Going forward, we are excited to continue outreach to setnetters in hopes we can finally count all Bristol Bay fishermen as full members, and ideally reduce the tax burden on driftnetters while also generating a positive return for all members.

  • Market information is critical in this fishery. BBRSDA’s website features updated market data and tracks the share of resource value between fishermen and processors over time. These efforts are critical to shedding light on market conditions so fishermen can be informed about whether to expect more or less competition when it comes to pricing.

  • Planning for a future that provides greater rewards for fishermen consumes the most unseen time/attention. Last fall, we convened a team of fishermen and researchers to collaborate with ADF&G, processors, and develop options in preparation for the fishery’s largest forecast. Although this exhaustive effort did not result in any consensus on major regulatory changes, we will likely see fishery managers trying to be more aggressive with early openings. We will continue to both plan and react accordingly to maximize the value of this fishery.

We get frequent updates from all sorts of market analysts and participants; and frankly, it’s just one bullseye after another for Bristol Bay sockeye. Consumers are eating healthier, seeking out a richer salmon flavor, and learning more about where their food comes from. Competitors are struggling from rising input costs and/or supply constraints. Our sustainability story and low carbon footprint fit perfectly into evolving food trends. Collectively, Bristol Bay fishermen are the only ones who own access to the world’s largest supply of premium, wild salmon that checks all these boxes.

This resource is becoming too valuable and too sought-after to continue with the status quo. In fact, these changes are already underway with the entrance and swift expansion of Silver Bay Seafoods, as well as the aggressive reboot of Peter Pan Seafoods. It's hard to predict how things will continue to unfold, but I (and many others) believe these forces will eventually result in closer business partnerships between harvesters and processors. Whether that’s with names you know or new entrants.  

So, what is the current state of BBRSDA? Excitedly optimistic. That sums up what I see coming from the board, staff, most members, contractors, and marketing partners. Thank you to all the members who engage with us and consume our outreach content. Whatever tomorrow brings, please know that BBRSDA will be planning, investing, marketing, researching, advocating, communicating, and representing for the sustained success of our members.

Best fishes,

Andy Wink
BBRSDA Executive Director

BBRSDA leadership strives to be accessible to our members. If you have any comments, questions, or would like to schedule a call, please don’t hesitate to email board@bbrsda.com or text 907-677-2374.