White Paper explains Bristol Bay salmon fishery prices and options for fleet consideration

UNITED STATES
Friday, March 05, 2021, 09:00 (GMT + 9)

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA) represents Bristol Bay’s commercial driftnet fishermen, who account for over 80% of the salmon fishery’s harvest volume. BBRSDA’s mission is to increase the fishery’s value for its members.  Bristol Bay fishermen are deeply frustrated and confused by the price of fish paid out in 2020.

This situation has led Bristol Bay fishermen to ask “what is going on” and “what can be done?”  As the largest organization representing Bristol Bay salmon fishermen, we have responded with an attempt to answer these complex questions, as a pragmatic service to our fleet and our mission.  We HIGHLY recommend Bristol Bay fishermen read both documents linked to below. Talk about it with other fishermen. Think deeply about whether you want to see any changes in this fishery, and if so, what seems best to you. There are pros AND cons to all choices, even to sticking with the status quo.

If fishermen want to change the status quo, that will require action by a group of committed fishermen. The BBRSDA can play various roles in the ideas presented, but we need direction and collaboration from the fleet.

BBRSDA members (i.e. S03T permit holder) are encouraged to email their input to board@bbrsda.com. If you’d like to discuss the material with BBRSDA leadership, please include that in the email and a BBRSDA Board member or the Executive Director will call you back as soon as possible. If you’d like to submit your input as a “member comment” to be read and logged at our next Board meeting, please note that in your email. Member comments read at Board meetings are also logged in meeting minutes which are publicly available. It’s too early to predict what the next steps will be (if any), but BBRSDA will be standing by to do whatever we can to meet the mission for our members.

The white paper and a summary document are available at the links below:

• White Paper: Explanation of Price & Options for Fleet Consideration – LINK

• White Paper Summary – LINK

Author:  Laine Welch | Fish Radio Programs

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