In Saint Paul, Alaska, a Partnership That Looks Ahead

Key Takeaways

• Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association (CBSFA) and local fishermen are building momentum in Saint Paul's halibut fishery.

• Access to Trident's Saint Paul facility supports CBSFA's buying and transfer station.

• Trident employees are helping prepare the facility to host a collaborative red king crab hatchery project.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, October 8, 2026 - In Saint Paul, Alaska, halibut season is a reminder of what a healthy working partnership can make possible. Local fishermen and the Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association (CBSFA) are building momentum in a fishery that matters to island families. Trident Seafoods is supporting that work by keeping its dock in Saint Paul available so CBSFA can buy local catch and move it onward.

A recent article in SeafoodNews highlights the Saint Paul halibut fleet's comeback. In the article, CBSFA leaders acknowledge Trident's longstanding support. That recognition matters because it comes from the very people performing the work, alongside fishermen determined to keep the community's fishery moving forward.

The report counted nine vessels and the employment of more than 50 individuals taking part in the project. According to Ray Melovidov, President of CBSFA, those numbers reflect "the opportunity to get out on the water and make a living."

Ensuring that fishing remains a real opportunity for the community of Saint Paul is at the heart of Trident's partnership with CBSFA, extending its purpose through the cyclicality of good and bad seasons.

That opportunity depends on having somewhere to land catch and a way to reach the market. CBSFA brings local knowledge, relationships and the commitment to rebuild participation, while Trident provides access to infrastructure already on the island. Together, along with the fishermen and families who depend on the fishery at the center of it all, Trident and CBSFA are putting those strengths to use.

A Working Partnership, from Dock to Market

At Trident's Saint Paul facility, CBSFA operates a buying and transfer station that connects local halibut landings with the next step in their journey. The arrangement gives fishermen a place to bring their catch while CBSFA and Trident work together to keep it moving. Through the dock, an established relationship translates into useful, tangible support.

On its Local Halibut Fishery site, CBSFA highlights how it works "closely with Trident Seafoods to provide halibut processing services." That collaboration helps connect local fishermen with services needed beyond the dock.

Keeping the Door Open for the Future

Keeping halibut connected to the market today also means looking beyond the current season. Crab harvest limits have made commercial operation of Trident's Saint Paul processing plant unviable in recent years. But Trident has opened the facility to a red king crab hatchery project involving the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation (BSFRF), the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation (AFDF), scientists and community partners.

Heather McCarty, a Juneau fisheries consultant, recently told National Fisherman, "What we're trying to do is help bring back red king crab populations in the Bering Sea. That's the goal."

McCarty added, "We've got almost 20 years of research backing this up."

The proof-of-concept and enhancement program aims to hatch and rear early life-stage red king crabs from wild broodstock, then release the juveniles back into the wild to combat recruitment declines.

Trident's contribution goes beyond hosting the newly constructed shellfish hatchery. Employees work alongside project partners to get the effort underway, with Dean Fasnacht, Trident's Regional Director of Operations, devoting significant time and resources to preparing the facility.

"It's great to be part of a project like this," Fasnacht said. "It really shows what's possible when people come together with a common purpose. I'm excited to see where this research goes and the positive impact it could have on these communities."

Within the facility, the hatchery team feeds larvae, monitors development, and manages water systems. Trident's employees, and the use of the company's Saint Paul facility, have helped turn the collaboration with BSFRF, AFDF, scientists and community partners into a working project. The research offers an opportunity to learn what might help the fishery's future without promising stock recovery.

Anchored in Alaska, For the Long Term

Trident's roots in crab fishing go back to 1973, when its founders built the company around the F/V Billikin, the first vessel in Alaska to catch and process crab at sea. Today, the company catches and processes virtually every commercial species of salmon, whitefish, and crab harvested in the North Pacific and Alaska. Even as the business has broadened, the coastal communities where the work begins remain just as important.

On the island of Saint Paul, being Anchored in Alaska means keeping relationships active when a fishery faces a difficult season. A dock supporting halibut landings and a facility helping crab researchers perform their work may serve different needs, but together, they reflect Trident's commitment to working with the community and focusing what is possible now while making room for its fishing future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alexis Telfer (Trident Seafoods, Corporate Communications) [email protected].

About Trident Seafoods

Trident Seafoods is North America's largest vertically integrated seafood harvesting and processing company. Trident is a privately held, 100% USA-owned company with an international operating presence in 10 countries and customers across nearly 60 global markets. Anchored in Alaska and headquartered in Seattle, Washington (USA), Trident employs approximately 7,700 people worldwide each year and partners with over 2,700 independent fishermen and crewmembers in Alaska. Trident catches and processes virtually every commercial species of salmon, whitefish and crab harvested in the North Pacific and Alaska. The global supply chain also encompasses cultured and wild species sourced from an international network of trusted suppliers.

Follow Trident Seafoods on the web at www.tridentseafoods.com or on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and YouTube.