Part four of Erik’s story. To read the previous article, click here.

A change wasn’t just looking appealing, it seemed critical if we wanted to stay in business…

In late August of 2024, Kaia Fisheries made the decision to get off the hamster wheel. We decided to fully adopt the Icelandic chilling and handling method in our Pacific cod fishery, hoping that the rest of the industry would eventually see the utility in slowing down, and embracing quality. Over the last two years, we’ve gathered reams of insight into the Icelandic industry backed by scientific evidence. We secured grant funding to assist in paying for the upgrades in technology onboard the Kaia and for studies aimed at analyzing fish quality. We’ve overhauled our vessel, equipment, handling practices, financing, and, hopefully, our future.

None of us know how this endeavor will ultimately unfold, but the current model is no longer an option for us. The risk is too high, and the reward is too little. It took traveling halfway around the world, the help of an amazing, resilient, and relentless team, and an unwavering vision for change to believe there’s a better way for the Alaskan seafood industry to move forward.

Seeing our totes hit the dock in early January, brimming with slurry ice and cod tails, was a long-awaited milestone. Though we’re just at the beginning, we’re looking at improved prices, reduced fuel costs, and a list of other positive shifts. This first delivery represents a dream-turned opportunity. For my family, our crew, our fishery, and for Alaska. It reminded me, again, what I learned as a greenhorn in the Bering Sea: we have a role in determining what our catch is worth. A choice to take care of what we harvest and compete in world-class markets.

For my family, that’s the vision that will keep us fishing.

It takes a community

While we struggled early on to find others in the industry willing to take this leap, we found ourselves in a community of advocates, experts, industry professionals, and friends who believed in our vision and supported it. I wanted to highlight them here.

Anna Nelson from One Small Step Writing Services has been an invaluable resource in navigating the federal grant writing process and she’s kept Kaia Fisheries bow into the weather. I thank Jamie Goen from Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers for connecting us with Anna, as without her, this project never would have come to fruition.

We reached out to an old classmate from Homer High School in Alaska, Arron Kallenberg. He’s the founder of a large e-commerce business called Wild Alaskan Company and shares the same values and commitment to sourcing high-quality seafood. Arron has an amazing team that has been instrumental in helping us along the way, including his sister Haley Kallenberg, Will Rogers, Monique Moore, and Jennifer Keith.

Andrew and Adam Hosmer from Whidbey Seafoods have taught us more than we want to know about the reality of selling fish and have emphasized that true high-quality fish markets themselves. Adam and Andrew connected us with Patrick Webber from Icy Straits Seafoods, who has kept tabs on our progress throughout the project and has been transparent in his discourse with us. Of course, I would be remiss not to mention Adam and Andrew’s father, Chuck Hosmer, and his 40-year business partner, Doug Wells, who have embraced a culture of quality onboard their fishing vessels, Baranof and Courageous.

We have engaged regularly with Hilmir Svavarsson from iTub and Mike Kilpatrick from Saeplast. They have been invaluable and accommodating in explaining the onboard tote storage methods and logistics of the tote rental program in place in Europe. Both Hilmir and Mike have been partners in the project since its inception.

Hannah Heimbuch from Under Sixty Cod Harvesters has been a sounding board from the very beginning of this endeavor. Her commitment to the long-term health and sustainability of the Alaskan seafood industry is unmatched. Hannah’s work ethic and dedication to a cause should be a model for other fishery advocates.

Larus Gudbjartsson, Freyr Friðrikson, and Heimer Halldórsson from KAPP ehf have put in countless hours explaining the slurry ice processes onboard vessels and have offered their technicians to us in Alaska to get the OptimIce system functional. Ragnar Gudmundsson and Bjarni Heimission have introduced us to alternative processor/fishermen models based around fish auctions that ensure the harvesters are getting the highest price per pound for their catch. Everyone has to make money along the supply chain, and the Icelanders have made this a reality for their industry.

Garrett Everidge, formerly with the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF) and now with his own consulting firm, Seamark Partners, has been instrumental in helping us make connections within the broader Alaskan seafood industry. Garrett, who is also a lifelong Alaskan, shares a similar vision of the “art of the possible” within Alaskan seafood, and we look forward to working with him in the future.

Kaia Fisheries has made two trips to Iceland, bringing our Bering Sea veteran Captain, Murray Gamrath, on our latest visit in October of this year to show him the Icelandic model. Captain Murray will be responsible for imparting the knowledge gained in Iceland to our crew onboard the Kaia. Without a willing Captain to ensure the Icelandic model is implemented properly onboard and without buy-in from the Kaia’s crew, this project never would have been possible.

Nick Garay from Alaska Marine Pilots Association in Dutch Harbor was responsible for connecting us to various shipping entities, and as a former containership chief mate he was able to explain the nuances of refrigerated containerized cargo. Nick was also with me during our first visit to Iceland, and being a lifelong Alaskan, commercial fisherman, he was equally impressed with the efficiency and technology utilized in the Icelandic model. Jessica Crouffut from Matson Shipping has been extremely helpful in working out the logistics of shipping fresh fish in totes 3,200 miles from Dutch Harbor to Tacoma.

The board at the North Pacific Fisheries Association (NPFA) has heard me speak about all the problems that plague our industry, and I thank the board for their willingness to engage in collaborative projects and keep an open mind. NPFA is a true representation of an independent fishing organization and has not strayed too far from its founding roots in 1955 before Alaskan statehood.

Tom Enlow and Ron Kjorsvik from Unisea Seafoods in Dutch Harbor have been an amazing asset for Kaia Fisheries in the latter stages of our project. Unisea has supported Kaia’s project for the 2025 A-season, and without their assistance, the project would not have been a success. I know fitting the Kaia into the vessel offload rotation was tricky at times, but Ron and crew ensured it went as smoothly as possible.

Of course, I want to thank my family for the sometimes-hourly rants about operating in Alaska and all the issues that need to be reconciled if our independent harvesters are going to survive. My wife, Lacey Velsko, has weathered all the ups and downs of owning a few small, independent commercial fishing operations, and I wouldn’t choose to spend this life with anyone but her.

“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.” G.B. Shaw

To read Erik’s full story on bringing Icelandic technology to Alaska, visit his bio here.