To the editor,
The 2020 commercial fishing season will go down in the history books. In March and April, the prospect of executing statewide fisheries was in question amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and even communities that rely upon fisheries as their economic drivers were pressing for partial or complete closures. Cordova and the opening of the Copper River District were in the spotlight as the first Alaskan salmon fishery to come on line for the summer salmon season.
Local shore-based processors all expressed a commitment to safely operate for the Copper River and Prince William Sound salmon buying season. Millions of dollars were spent to develop mitigation and operational plans as well as to transport, quarantine, and safely operate amidst pandemic protocols. For the health and safety of the community and their seasonal processing workforce, processors closed or significantly minimized incoming and outgoing traffic and operated under closed campus restrictions.
Every shore-based processor operating in Cordova was transparent with the community and participated in weekly teleconference calls to work collaboratively with the Incident Command Center in Cordova. Through this “all hands on deck” process the processors demonstrated a commitment to the community that will be recognized for decades to come.
60 North Seafoods, Alaska Wild Seafoods, Copper River Seafoods, OBI (Ocean Beauty Icicle Seafoods), and Trident Seafoods all took to their responsibility willingly and with all seriousness.
Copper River Prince William Sound Marketing Association wishes to thank them publicly for their commitment to their fishermen, their employees, this community and to the industry at large for the exemplary measures taken.
Sincerely,
Dennis Zadra
President, CR/PWSMA
