Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association

Background

In the summer of 2005, a group of fishermen active in the Bristol Bay of Alaska applied to the State of Alaska to form a development association. Following a review, in January 2008, the organization was established as a tax-exempt business development association with a mandate to promote the quality and marketability of salmon caught in the Bristol Bay, address infrastructure requirements related to fisheries in the Bristol Bay region, and create research and educational programs conducive to the success of the bay’s salmon fisheries. ^{2 3}

Activity

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association funds projects conducive to advancing and promoting the salmon-fishery industry in Bristol Bay. For instance, in 2025, the association funded reports on fisheries and salmon markets, projects promoting the bay and its associated seafood through advocacy campaigns and social media, and apprenticeship programs for fishery professionals. ⁴

Advocacy

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association supports environmentalist positions. For instance, the association is opposed to large-scale industrial extraction activities in the region of the Bristol Bay watershed and claims that such activities pose a threat to the region’s salmon runs as well as the public perception of the quality of the salmon caught in the region. To that end, the organization notes on its website that “going forward” it intends to participate in the federal National Environmental Policy Act Review process, communicate with relevant government agencies involved in the regulation of industrial activity in the bay, engage in public advocacy campaigns, and collaborate with environmentalist groups. ¹

The Association has also opposed Alaska State budget cuts for environmental management programs operated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG). In that vein, in 2017, in partnership with the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute, local processors, set-netters, boroughs, and businesses, the association came to an agreement with the ADFG to collectively fund the Bristol Bay Fisheries Collaborative to ensure the continued environmental management of the bay. ⁵

Funding

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association is funded by annual dues paid by Bristol Bay drift holders, all of whom are members of the association by default. Dues are equivalent to one percent of the respective drift holder’s assessed harvest. ⁶

Grants

The Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association has given grants to organizations including the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, Central Peninsula Refrigeration, the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute, Coastwise Press, the New Venture Fund, Ocean Strategies, Rising Tide Communications, the Seattle Fishermen’s Memorial, Trident Seafoods, Northline Seafoods, University of Washington, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the United Tribes of Bristol Bay. ⁷

Leadership

Lilani Dunn is the executive director of the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association. Previously, she led marketing for Orca Bay Foods, was a staffer with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, and was a marketing staffer with the Dole Food Company. ⁸

Doug Morgan is the president of the Association’s board of directors, as well as a fisherman on the vessel Miss Emma. ⁹

Doug Elwell is the vice president of the Association’s board of directors, as well as a fisherman on the vessel Tumbling Dice. ⁹

Sean Guffey is the treasurer and secretary of the Association’s board of directors, as well as a fisherman on the vessel Watermen. ⁹