The board welcomes your ideas for strengthening the Bristol Bay fishery and improving the BB-RSDA. Email them anytime, right here!

Robert Heyano, President

A founding board member of BBRSDA and lifelong Bristol Bay resident, Robert Heyano started picking fish on his family's setnet sites at Ekuk Beach when he was nine years old, and since 1972 he's been running drift boats as an owner/operator. Well-respected around the Bay as a hard-working harvester and a dedicated advocate for fishing families, Robert previously served on the Alaska Board of Fish, and also serves on the board of the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation.

Chris McDowell, Vice President

Chris McDowell was instrumental in establishing the BBRSDA and was elected to the board in 2007. A lifelong Alaskan, he has fished the Bay since 1999, and also fishes SE salmon troll and Dungeness crab, as well as IFQ halibut and black cod. He lives in Juneau with his wife Lisa and five daughters. Chris serves as BBRSDA's representative on the board of the United Fishermen of Alaska and is also a board member of the Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank. In the off-season, Chris works as a seafood industry analyst for the McDowell Group, Inc., where he specializes in analyzing and reporting on seafood market conditions for ASMI.

Mike LaRussa, Treasurer

Mike LaRussa's fishing career began in 1972, and has taken him from California to the Aleutians, and from herring seining to Bering Sea trawling and crabbing, and to salmon gillnetting in Bristol Bay. Along the way, he has consistently served as a strong advocate for improving quality and increasing returns to fishermen. In his work as BB-RSDA treasurer, Mike continues a career of service that includes stints with United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters, the Puget Sound Gillnet Salmon Commission and a founding board position with the Bristol Bay Reserve. 

Barney Johnson, Secretary

Barney Johnson has worked since 2005 to advocate for and influence the development of the BBRSDA as an effective, transparent and frugal organization. A founding board member, Barney started picking fish on his dad's Bryant when he was fourteen. Following military service, he worked his way through the UW and graduated in 1980 in Mechanical Engineering. In addition to operating his own fishing operation and a marine surveying business, Barney serves as Vice President of the Bristol Bay Driftnetter's Association and serves on the board of the Bering Pacific Co-op.

Fritz Johnson

Matt Luck

F/V Meg J
Seat D (Non-Alaska Resident) - Term ends 2013
Ketchum, Idaho

Matt was appointed to the board in 2011 to complete the term of a retired member. At that time, he had fished the Bay for twelve years, as both crew and operator. In addition to his work in the Bay, Matt's fishing experience includes longlining for halibut and black cod, seining salmon and herring in Southeast, Prince William Sound, Kodiak and Togiak, and drifting on the Copper River. He has served both on the general board and executive committee of the Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corportion, held the position as chair of the Copper River/PWS ADF&G Advisory Committee, and seved on the board of the Cordova District Fishermen United.

Matt Marinkovich

Matt Marinkovich has fished Bristol Bay since he was 16, and run his high-tech wooden Bryant since 1993.  He longlines in the spring and gillnets Puget Sound in the fall, where he direct-markets most of his catch. He is enthusiastic about increased efforts among Bristol Bay fishermen towards direct-marketing, as well. When he's not fishing, Matt helps his wife Maureen with her eco-shop in Friday Harbor, and contributes to National Fisherman's printed and online media. Together, Maureen and Matt are raising three daughters.