Seafood Industry Veteran Collier Joins BBRSDA

Seafood industry executive Barry Collier has joined the Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA), to advise on industry and global market initiatives, including a pathway to gain back global markets during challenging economic times.

The association announced the news in a Dec. 14 statement.

“The BBRSDA has had incredible success that much of the industry and even fishermen are not aware of,” said Collier, who most recently served as president and CEO of Peter Pan Seafoods, Inc.

“I look forward to not only bringing the established programs of the BBRSDA to light throughout the fleet and industry, but also helping gain back global markets in a time when it is needed the most,” he stated.

BBRSDA President Fritz Johnson said the organization’s board is confident that the addition of Collier’s experience and the current BBRSDA staff will keep the organization on track to achieve its mission and continue to elevate its brand and programs.

Shifting global market conditions have led the BBRSDA to refocus through storytelling about the quality, sustainability and accessibility of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon.

BBRSDA marketing director Liliani Dunn said the entity’s partnerships and sales velocity created from a busy year of retail promotions have paved the way for the Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon brand message to resonate across retail, foodservice and consumer channels heading into the new year.

“While there are clear challenges that are out of our control, it is important that we stay focused on what differentiates Bristol Bay sockeye from other options through marketing, quality and collaboration with the many stakeholders of our fishery,” Dunn said.

Along with marketing, the BBRSDA focuses on quality, sustainability and member outreach, with a mandate to raise the value of Bristol Bay’s commercial salmon fishery for the benefit of its 1,800-plus drift gillnet permit holders.

These efforts have included funding refrigerated seawater systems and ice barges, fighting large scale mining projects, funding the Port Moller test fishery, contributing funding for the Pedro Bay Conservation easement and more.

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/seafood-industry-veteran-collier-joins-bbrsda/