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Reports & Resources
The BB-RSDA both sponsors and distributes top-notch research reports and publications that benefit all Bristol Bay stakeholders – our members, industry leaders, biologists and policymakers. Below are a few key reports we recommend. Also, please note the link to the left for Business Resources, a great set of tools for organizing, operating and continually improving your fishing business.
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Following each of the last three seasons, the BBRSDA has contracted with Northern Economics to survey Bristol Bay processors and compile a comprehensive review of the fishing season. These reports are of interest to fishermen, processors, seafood economists, academics and researchers. The reports cover subjects including:
- Purchases by Bristol Bay processors from fishermen
- Chilled fish percentages and methods of chilling among the fleet
- Rate of growth of chilling from season to season
- Product form information
- Graded fish quality information and percentages
- And many other important metrics concerning the Bristol Bay fishery
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Expanding on earlier work by the BB-RSDA, this recently released study by BBEDC/McDowell Group estimates just how much revenue swam past Bristol Bay fishermen from 2003 to 2008.
Addressing "foregone harvest" - defined as the actual salmon escapement to major Bristol Bay river systems over and above pre-season spawning goals established by the ADF&G - this study provides a clear understanding of the lost economic opportunity associated with the fishery during those years.
BB-RSDA is raising foregone harvest in discussions with policymakers, and this report informs that effort. Like most issues surrounding large natural systems and large industries, the issue of foregone harvest is complex. Contributory factors include processing capacity, fleet effectiveness, ADF&G management policies and decisions, and natural conditions such as compressed run entry.
In a salmon fishery as large and complex as Bristol Bay it is not reasonable to expect that escapement will be flawlessly achieved, or that harvesters and processors can successfully handle every fish that is surplus to pre-season goals. Accordingly, this study makes no effort to identify the primary cause or causes of foregone harvest. Rather, it quantifies the effects of foregone harvest and furthers the discussion for all Bristol Bay stakeholders.
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Drawing on authoritative data from a wide range of sources and presenting it in a clear and precise format, this report by Northern Economics documents the importance of commercial fishing to Alaska’s economy.
The report includes:
- a historical overview of the growth of Alaska’s seafood industry, with a focus on the development of fisheries for major species and species groups;
- economic effects of the seafood industry on the state as a whole;
- a comparison of Alaska’s seafood industry with national and international seafood industries;
- a "snapshot" of contemporary economic impacts of Alaska’s seafood industry using recent data; and
- economic effects of two commercial fisheries-related areas of special interest:
- in-state expenditures for commercial fisheries management and research by both State of Alaska and federal agencies; and
- the Community Development Quota Program, a federal fisheries program promoting fisheries-related economic development in western Alaska
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Prepared by Dory Associates of Kodiak, this report is an in-depth search and summary of existing materials and research pertaining to harvester handling practices. The report identifies shortcomings of existing information as well as “next steps,” and is organized into three sections as follows:
- Current Body of Research
- Includes a literature matrix organized by type of publication (peer-reviewed articles, educational research, interactive resources, etc.) and types of research institution. Publications are coded by theme, so readers can determine quickly if they are relevant to the reader’s interest. Content summaries of publications are also provided.
- Interview Findings
- Interviews with Bristol Bay fishermen are summarized, and common practices, concerns, and observations are noted. Provides an overview of current trends, issues, and progress on improving fish quality in Bristol Bay.
- Gaps in the Existing Body of Research & Potential Future Projects
- An examination of projects that could be pursued by the BB-RSDA. Interviewees identified some of these projects, while others respond to gaps in current research.
This report identifies numerous projects and resources, produced by a broad range of entities. Along with its accompanying interview results, the paper captures the majority of publications and efforts related to improving the quality of salmon in Bristol Bay’s driftnet fishery.
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This report, commissioned by the BBRSDA, compiles survey responses from eleven major processors following the 2008 season. The survey consisted of 18 questions about the processors, their operations in Bristol Bay and their perceptions about how the fishery is changing. Operational questions focused on processors' purchase of chilled product and the distribution of production between four major product forms.
All processors contacted responded to the survey. They reported processing more than 163 million pounds of raw product in 2008, about 94 percent of the season’s Bristol Bay production, as recorded through ADF&G fish tickets. This report presents an insightful picture of production and chilling in the fishery, as well as a strong base for tracking how things change going forward.
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