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Business tools and resources for our members
These and many other resources are available free, or at low cost, through Alaska Sea Grant.
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A series of short videos suggesting ways to maintain salmon quality during harvest. Series includes: Quality; Boat Setup; Fishing Practices; Product Handling; Chilling; Dressing & Pressure Bleeding; Unloading Product; and Cleaning & Sanitizing.
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Fishermen can easily maintain electronic business records, create an effective business plan, make asset/liability statements for a bank loan, and perform "what-if" analyses, using the fishing business spreadsheets on this CD. A handy user manual is included in the CD case. Excel spreadsheets are Mac/PC; business planning software is PC only.
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An excellent resource list of state and federal agencies, fisheries organizations, private-nonprofits, and private companies. Also included are books, newsletters, magazines, videos, software, and Web sites. The book is available as a PDF.
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Read articles on developing pricing strategies for direct markets; an interview with a Cook Inlet set net direct market operation—Alaska Blue Harvest; and a new, reliable technique to pressure-bleed salmon onboard. Part of the Alaska Sea Grant FishBiz program, the Fish Entrepreneur newsletter provides resources for Alaska's small-business direct seafood marketers.
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This publication outlines the basic building blocks for financial management for fishermen, including bookkeeping systems and accounting methods. All fishermen, even those who hire an accountant to keep the books, will benefit from mastering the basics of financial record-keeping. In the big picture, financial management involves developing accurate business records, controlling finances for better business decisions, and analyzing future opportunities.
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This book expands business horizons for the commercial fisherman by helping you work through the steps involved in direct marketing—selling seafood products further up the distribution system than to the local processor. Plenty of people are eager to get their hands on your fish, in hopes of making money by adding value and selling the product. Chapters in this book address finding those domestic and international customers, strategies for distributing seafood, packaging and shipping, and the basics of business planning.
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Starting a direct market business requires changes to a traditional fishing operation. Before plunging headlong, a fisherman should weigh the costs against the benefits. This publication takes you through the needed steps-writing a business plan, projecting cash flow, and calculating a "variable analysis." Knowing the numbers before entering into direct marketing, or whenever you change your fishing operation, will help you make the right decision. Another great resource from our friends at Alaska Sea Grant!
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Cooperatives offer a business model for Alaska seafood producers to open new markets, create locally controlled processing, and pool purchasing power. This book will help you decide whether a cooperative is the best path to follow for your small seafood business, and tells the step-by-step procedure to start a seafood cooperative.
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Will your boat and permits remain in your family or community after you retire? The amount of capital required to enter the fishing business has increased, decreasing the likelihood that a new fishermen will be able to buy your business in one transaction. With forethought, however, you can still pass all or most of your business assets to a person or group in a "directed transfer."
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The reasons for carrying vessel insurance are clear, but what should your policy cover? This article has key information for boat operators about marine policies. It addresses the four types of vessel insurance: hull and machinery, breach of warranty, cargo, and protection and indemnity (P&I). Author Terry Johnson is a fisherman and University of Alaska Fairbanks marine advisory expert.
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Fishermen who have their heart set on a bigger boat or a different fishery can avoid substantial taxes by trading up instead of selling and buying. This article explains how to defer capital gains taxes on the sale of an old vessel or permit by the exchange of "like-kind property" under Section 1031 of the federal tax code.
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Guidelines to make your vessel more fuel efficient are presented in this color brochure. Saving money on boat fuel can be as easy as slowing down or as complicated as replacing a boat engine, and results vary depending on the vessel. Commercial fishermen, charter boat and water taxi operators, sport fishermen, and recreational boaters can save fuel by following these tips.
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Downloads
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Sample Crew Contract
Permit-holders are required to complete contracts with crewmembers prior to commencement of the fishing season. Here is a sample contract provided by Alaska Sea Grant. You may modify it to meet your needs, but it is a good idea to have your attorney approve it before you finalize.
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