COVID-19 is having a sudden direct impact on seafood processing facilities on the eve of Alaska’s commercial salmon fishing season.
Trident Seafoods officials on Wednesday, May 6, announced that their False Pass Seafoods processing facility will not operate this summer due to marketplace uncertainties due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, projections for the 2020 salmon season, and the cost and logistics of managing risk in a remote community during the pandemic.
While this was a difficult decision to make, the company is hopeful that conditions will improve and Trident will be in a position to resume operations next year in False Pass, where the seafood plant is a long-term investment in both the fishery and the community, they said.
Trident plans to continue operating its fuel facility and provide limited vessel support throughout the summer.
Meanwhile the company will have its Sand Point processing facilities at normal operation and also has a custom processing arrangement with Peter Pan Seafoods processing facilities at King Cove and Port Moller.
Silver Bay Seafoods, based in Sitka, opened a state-of-the-art seafood processing facility at False Pass last year.
The company is also working with the Eastern Aleutians Tribes to utilize Trident’s bunkhouse as a potential resident quarantine space.
According to Trident its fleet services at False Pass will not be impacted and independent fishermen who deliver to Trident in Area M will have the same level of service and support they have had in past years.
Trident employees who typically work in False Pass will be offered jobs at other locations for the 2020 season, the company said.
The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, a community development quota entity, is invested in the plant with Trident. APICDA officials said they have no comment at this time.
