NSEDC Celebrates the Opening of New Savoonga Halibut Plant with Ribbon-Cutting

As if on cue, the sun finally broke through the clouds as long-time NSEDC employee Orville Toolie stood at the top of the stairs leading into the new halibut processing plant located in his home community of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island on August 6, 2026. While Orville has cut countless halibut over his multiple decades of working for NSEDC as the Savoonga plant manager, this day his job would involve cutting the bright blue ribbon that spanned the top of the stairs to celebrate the facility's completion and first year of service.

The ceremony involved more than just the ribbon cutting as a sign was unveiled to officially christen the building as the "Orville Evekaan Toolie Halibut Plant," honoring the man who has worked since 1992 to serve the fishers in Savoonga. Orville worked to help transform an old Head Start school building into the initial plant in the 1990s and spent the next 30-plus years managing the operations and keeping the facility operating with his ingenuity and broad talents. But even the best efforts can only go so far, and the age of the first facility had caught up with it.

"Orville has done an amazing job to support our fishers as the plant manager and to develop and maintain that first plant," said NSEDC Savoonga Representative and Vice Chairman Preston Rookok. "But it had come time to build a more modern and efficient facility. I am proud that the NSEDC board came together to approve and develop the project which should serve our fishers and unique fishery for many more decades."

The ceremony on August 6 included a facility blessing by Savoonga elder Paul Rookok, facility tours and a community luncheon which included halibut and crab chowder, grilled salmon, hamburgers and hot dogs.

The plant is a welcome addition to NSEDC's fisheries support infrastructure and has been in operation for the current halibut season. The new plant has the advantage of being closer to the location where Savoonga fishers land their catch, improving the accessibility for both the employees and fishers.