When we first started Sitka Seafood Market, Seafood Producers Cooperative (SPC) played a crucial role in our journey. Back in 2011, the first king and coho salmon I caught on the F/V Loon were filleted and frozen by SPC before making their way to the very first shares we sold. Fast forward 15 years, and today, SPC is one of our largest suppliers of premium, hook-and-line-caught wild fish—a testament to both our shared values and the strength of our partnership.
Growing Pains and a Pivotal Shift
As Sitka Seafood Market grew, so did our need for traceable, high-quality processing tailored to our exacting standards. However, SPC—focused on processing their own fishermen’s catch—was unable to maintain separate labeling or trace fish to individual boats. By 2015, we pivoted and purchased our own processor to ensure we could deliver the highest-quality seafood while keeping every fish traceable to the fisherman who caught it.
With our business expanding, more independent fishermen joined us, meaning fewer fish were going through SPC’s Sitka docks. At the same time, SPC relied heavily on wholesale markets, which suddenly evaporated during COVID. Meanwhile, we continued growing, offering strong prices to local fishermen. Tensions were high. It looked like there wasn’t enough fish to support both companies moving forward.
Then we hit our own challenges, and we made the difficult decision to close our own processing plant in 2022. Overnight, SPC shifted from being a competitor to a crucial supplier—one of the few processors capable of delivering high-quality, traceable portions at scale while also maintaining the infrastructure that Sitka’s fishing community depended on. The question was: could we put the past behind us and forge a new relationship?
A Partnership Built on Shared Values
To SPC’s credit, their fishermen-led board and management saw the opportunity to collaborate rather than compete. That summer, we began sourcing king and coho salmon through them, solidifying a partnership rooted in mutual respect and a commitment to supporting Sitka’s fishing community.
Much of our original model was actually inspired by the fishermen’s cooperative system that SPC pioneered more than 80 years ago—a model designed to ensure fishermen are paid fairly and, in turn, incentivized to handle each fish with care, as if it were going to a close friend or family member.
Why SPC’s Model Matters
Unlike many seafood processors in Alaska, SPC is a fishermen-owned cooperative. In contrast to large multinational corporations that prioritize profits—often at the expense of local fishing communities—SPC is run by fishermen, for fishermen. Its board is comprised entirely of fishermen, ensuring that their voices shape business decisions and that quality, sustainability, and fairness take priority over pure bottom-line economics.
SPC also specializes in catching fish one at a time using hook-and-line methods, ensuring that every fish is bled and chilled in ice immediately for peak quality. This small-scale, hands-on approach sets SPC’s seafood apart from mass-produced alternatives.
The Role You Play
By supporting Sitka Seafood Market, you’re also supporting SPC’s fishermen. Our partnership provides a stable, fair-price market for their catch, helping shield fishermen from the volatile swings of global seafood pricing. In traditional seafood supply chains, fishermen often get squeezed—when prices drop, they feel the impact first, while middlemen and retailers maintain their margins.
Every box of seafood you purchase keeps Sitka fishermen on the water, catching fish in the most sustainable and responsible way possible. Thank you for being part of this journey, for caring about the seafood you buy, and for helping preserve Alaska’s small-boat fishing heritage.
