New analysis shows that Pebble’s plan and environmental review does not adequately account for seismic risks at the proposed mine site, leaving the region’s fishery, communities and cultures exposed to significant devastation.
Read MoreThe Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) encourages the fleet to chill their fish and handle them with care. Chilling fish is the most important action fishermen can do to preserve quality. BBRSDA is financially assisting three different ice platforms this year .
If fishermen cannot get ice from their processor, they can purchase ice from the following places (inquire with each supplier regarding price) :
Nushagak
Bristol Maid - Clark's Point - can be contacted on VHF Channel 73 or 78
Northline Seafoods Barge - Schooners Channel opposite the flats - (orange flag & orange light will indicate that ice available for other fleets, Northline is providing slush ice as opposed to traditional flake ice) - can be contacted on VHF Channel 12
City of Dillingham Boat Harbor - can be contacted on VHF Channel 16 or 907.842.1069
Naknek-Kvichak
Bristol Lady - Y in Naknek - can be contacted on VHF Channel 73 or 78 - 907.246.6860
Egegik
Honua (BBEDC contracted vessel) - 907.843.1937 - Red Bluff - slush ice
Ugashik
Coho (BBEDC contracted vessel) - 907.843.1937 - North of Tender Row - slush ice
Seabird (E&E Foods tender) - near Dago Creek - can be contacted on VHF Channel 79
If you have ice available for sale in Bristol Bay, please contact Andy Wink at BBRSDA (andy@bbrsda.com, 907-677-2374).
As Bristol Bay’s commercial fishermen, seafood processors, and residents prepare for the return of a forecasted 49 million sockeye salmon, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is nearing completion of its environmental review for the proposed Pebble Mine - a toxic project that Alaska’s commercial fishermen have long fought.
Read MoreThe Port Moller Test Fishery is underway! The Port Moller Test Fishery (PMTF) is conducted each year to help processors, fishermen, and fishery managers assess the timing, composition, and abundance of sockeye salmon returning to commercial fishing districts in Bristol Bay. Fishermen can receive daily updates via email and can now get daily summaries texted to their mobile, InReach, or satellite phone. Those wishing to get daily text updates should text only the abbreviation PMTF to 833-612-1053.
Read MoreThe Department of Public Safety released an advisory today stating no citations will be issued for failure to register with the State of Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles, but Bristol Bay fishermen must still register their vessel with CFEC.
Read MoreDue to the COVID-19 situation, BBRSDA will be conducting its June Board and Member Meetings telephonically this year. The June Member Meeting will be held on Thursday, June 4th at 9:00am AKT, with a BBRSDA Board meeting to follow. KDLG (690am, Dillingham) and KMXT (100.1fm, Kodiak) will broadcast the Member Meeting on their radio stations, as well. Meeting details can be found in the links below:
June 4, 2020 (9am AKT) - BBRSDA Member Meeting - AGENDA LINK
NEW Dial-in number: 312.626.6799 (Meeting ID: 894-9076-9886)
June 4, 2020 (10am AKT) - BBRSDA Board Meeting - AGENDA LINK
Members may request meeting access by emailing info@bbrsda.com or texting 907-677-2374 by the end of 6/3/20.
Currently the Naknek Native Village Council is working on finalizing testing sites and details. Camai Clinic is open for administering tests, including same day results. As information is finalized we will update our information.
Read MoreA comprehensive list of locations for our fleet to be tested for COVID-19. This also includes detailed instructions provided by Capstone Clinic.
Read More2019 marked a huge year for the Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon brand. Breakthroughs with larger retail partners took place, attention from seafood processors allowed us to support them with their best customers while online seafood marketers found great use of our assets and messaging in their campaigns. Our marketing team set a goal to integrate all marketing programs to support our industry goals and the value of Bristol Bay Sockeye salmon and that goal was not only met but exceeded as we maintained our strong position and made huge gains in partnerships and attention. You can find a detailed report on BBRSDA’s Marketing Efforts for the year 2019 posted on our Project Reports page, here.
Read MoreFritz Johnson was re-elected to Seat C - Alaska Resident. Johnson will serve a 3 year term ending 2023. Johnson ran unopposed for Seat C and received 342 votes out of 402 eligible ballots cast.
Mark Niver was elected to Seat F - Open Residency. Niver will serve a 3 year term ending 2021. Director Niver will be seated at the June 4, 2020 Board meeting. Niver ran against two other candidates and received 269 votes out of 402 eligible ballots cast.
Read More- 2020 Bristol Bay COVID-19 Fishermen’s Handbook - Linked Appendix (LINK)
- 2020 Bristol Bay COVID-19 Fishermen’s Handbook - Printable Appendix (LINK)
BBRSDA has updated the COVID-19 Fishermen’s Handbook. The update contains information about new State mandates for setnetters and interstate travel, provides additional clarification on Dillingham ordinances, fixes the logbook link, and now includes a version with a fully printable Appendix. This handbook clearly lists COVID requirements for Bristol Bay fishermen, puts all the relevant Mandates in one place, and is loaded with best practices to keep everyone safe this season…
Read MoreBBRSDA has posted a COVID-19 Fishermen’s Handbook on our COVID-19 page to help Bristol Bay fishermen understand how to comply with State and Local laws, as well as providing best practices to keep people safe during the 2020 season. Click the links above to view this important information.
Read MoreSee our Market Value & Info page for updated market commentary and a new data set containing information about first wholesale sales value by month compared to ex-vessel value for each harvest and sales year cycle.
Read MoreNorthern Economics Inc. produces this annual processor survey for BBRSDA gathering prior season information from Bristol Bay processors capturing data on finished product forms, chilled product volumes and quality impact, ice production capacity, and respondents’ opinions of trends and priorities within the fishery.
Read the new 2019 Processors Survey Report here.
** COVID-19 FLEET ADVISORY #04: BBRSDA Position on Testing & Quarantine **
April 21, 2020
The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association’s (BBRSDA) Board of Directors formally adopted the following statement of support at meeting on April 20, 2020:
“The BBRSDA supports the idea of COVID-19 testing and quarantine of fishermen prior to their arrival in Bristol Bay for the 2020 salmon season, and affirms its continued support for acknowledged best practices for protecting the health of all stakeholders.”
The health and safety of fishermen, processing workers, support personnel, and local residents is a paramount concern for the BBRSDA. These goals and the best practices aimed at meeting them are fully consistent with BBRSDA’s mission of increasing the value of the fishery for fishermen. Bristol Bay sockeye salmon has become a premium product, and as such the demand for it is a function of not just fish quality but the real and perceived impact of the fishery. A tragedy—particularly one that is aggravated by poor compliance on the part of the fleet in regards to best practices—could significantly damage demand for the fishery’s products. Second, the Bristol Bay salmon fishery is subject to oversight, regulation, and taxation by state and local government. Again, failure to support reasonable and feasible best practices on the part of the fleet could create a situation of costly animosity between industry, government, and local residents.
With appropriate safeguards, we are confident there will be a 2020 season, and the BBRSDA encourages the use of best available practices for the protection of public and industry health. With this being a very fluid situation, stakeholder leadership is in a state of close communication regarding what options are both available and feasible.
The Bristol Bay salmon fishery works best when its stakeholders work together to overcome challenges as best as possible. All stakeholders share in its rewards, and its risks during the current pandemic. Supporting the highest level of workable safety protocols is not just the correct thing to do from a moral/human perspective, it is also the most fiscally responsible option to meet the mission of the BBRSDA and our fleet.
Sincerely,
Fritz Johnson
BBRSDA Board President
*See past COVID-19 Fleet Advisories and other updates/info on our COVID-19 page. (link).
Late last year, BBRSDA joined several other organizations to file a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for withdrawing proposed protections for Bristol Bay. Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed the case, and in so doing determined that the EPA’s action is not one that can be challenged in court (click here to see the motion). This does not change the facts already established in the scientific and public record, which make clear that the Bristol Bay fishery is threatened by the development of the Pebble Mine.
Leadership from the plaintiffs echoed the sentiment that they will not relent in their pursuit of safeguards for Bristol Bay’s pristine environment or in their opposition of the Pebble Mine project. BBRSDA Executive Director Andy Wink on Judge Gleason’s ruling, “Despite this decision, our mission is unchanged: protecting and promoting the Bristol Bay fishery. The Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment made it clear that this fishery needs the highest level of protection, and we will do everything we can to ensure the salmon continue returning for future generations.”
BBRSDA and other members of the Bristol Bay Defense Alliance have issued the following statement regarding this legal matter.
BBRSDA had to push back its Board election timeline by roughly a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic…
Read MoreTo be clear: our expectation is there will be a 2020 fishery season in Bristol Bay, subject to State-mandated requirements. However, esteemed UW fishery scientists Daniel Schindler and Curry Cunningham have recently addressed the implications of sockeye overescapement in Bristol Bay. Click “Read More” to for an excerpt and link to the full article.
Read MoreOur COVID-19 Fleet Team has been researching economic relief options available to commercial fishermen. Please click on this link for information about economic relief programs. This “Guidance” document will be updated on our COVID-19 website as more information about programs and economic relief options becomes available. Feel free to email any questions or comments about economic relief options to covid19team@bbrsda.com.
Today, we issued an advisory containing information about future needs and BBRSDA capabilities, as well as a list of proposed fleet & community safety ideas. Click ‘Read More’ below to view these documents and find more info about what processors are doing.
Read MoreMaximizing the value of the Bristol Bay fishery for the benefit of our members.
Sign up for Bristol Bay Waypoints, eNewsletter, which will keep you informed on matters that directly affect our fishery.
Check out our consumer facing website
