Villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region are receiving 60,000 pounds of much-needed Alaska salmon from processors in Kodiak and Bristol Bay, thanks to the coordination from SeaShare. This is the third year subsistence fishing on the river has been suspended and the seafood industry has donated fish for SeaShare to distribute, at zero cost to the recipients.

This year’s donation from Kodiak processors will make a real difference to many families in communities along the Yukon. The 16,000 pounds of king and chum salmon came from the following processors: North Pacific Seafoods, OBI Seafoods, Silver Bay Seafoods and Trident Seafoods.

SeaShare coordinated with the processors and the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak to fly the fish to Fairbanks for further distribution by the Tanana Chiefs Conference and Interior Alaska Processors. TCC officials have noted that 1,000 pounds of fish will be distributed to its elders, with the remaining balance of fish going out to 11 communities on the Yukon.

In addition, Bristol Bay processors Silver Bay Seafoods, OBI Seafoods, North Pacific Seafoods and Leader Creek Fisheries donated 45,000 pounds of king and chum salmon to villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region. Airfreight was donated by several partners, including Lynden, Northern Air Cargo and Everts.

These donations wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of the fishermen and processors that donated fish, the transportation and cold storage partners, and crews at the USCG Air Station Kodiak.