Micah Hahn and Ben Tietge Founders of a community supported fishery
After Micah Hahn and Ben Tietge moved to Alaska in summer 2017, Tietge bought a boat and started commercial fishing in the Copper River Delta and Prince William Sound. 2019 was their second season operating the Copper Valley Fish Collective, which allows consumers to cut out the middle man and purchase their fish directly from Hahn and Tietge. Buyers can select at the beginning of the season how many pounds of salmon they want, essentially reserving a portion of the catch, which is then shipped at the end of the season. ~as told to and edited by Alexander Deedy Alaska: What is a community supported fishery? MH: I think probably more people are familiar with the term community supported agriculture, or a CSA. A community supported fishery is a very similar model. Like farmers, fishermen have a lot of upfront costs for the season. You have to buy permits and nets and get your boat ready to fish. Also, CSFs in Alaska have the additional challenge of the logistics in getting the fish from Alaska down to the Lower 48 where our customers are. Having those orders ahead of time allows us to get funding up front, get our stuff ready, and do the planning we need to ensure we have everything in place for shipping fish to people.
COURTESY MICAH HAHN AND BEN TIETGE
Alaska: Why did you decide to found the fish collective? MH: The majority of Ben’s fish gets purchased by canneries, who then process the fish and sell it to big super markets and are really doing it on a mass scale. With a community supported fishery like Copper Valley Fish Collective, we cut out all of those middle men. It’s literally the fishermen and then we sell it to the consumer. So they know exactly what fish they’re getting. What’s really fun about it is interacting with the people who are excited about buying fish. Alaska: What’s been the response so far among fishermen in Cordova, and how many boats are part of the collective? BT: So far, it’s just our vessel. Micah is a permitted buyer, so she can buy from any fisherman. It’s expandable if needed, but right now it’s far from needed. There are not many people who do this, and there aren’t many people who know about other people doing it. MH: It’s crazy to think about how much fish is leaving the state and the percentage that goes directly to consumers is very, very small. There’s only one other direct marketer that I know in Cordova who does a similar share model. It’s a growing and nascent way to sell fish.
ABOVE: Ben Tietge and Micah Hahn share a moment’s rest from fishing to interact with their dogs. AT LEFT: Micah Hahn
Online Extra To learn more about Micah and Ben, visit our website at alaskamagazine.com
Alaska: What do you guys do for fun in the winter? BT: I was going to say something about the value of any kind of direct marketing is a form of season extension for fishermen, both before and after the season because fishing has highs and lows. There’s not a whole lot for a fisherman to do all winter unless you get caught up with things like crabbing or other dangerous pastimes like substitute teaching, which is what I do for most of the winter. But, for fun? I like to drink coffee and read. SEPTEMBER 2019 A L A S K A
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