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Safely Navigating Troubled Waters
OUR FLEET Safely Navigating Troubled Waters
On January 1, 2020, the forecast for the year still looked optimistic. A new decade brings with it new ideas and fresh perspectives, as well as an opportunity to build upon the work begun in the previous decade and realize longterm objectives. Following a record year of participation in our programs in 2019, as well as the launch of several new programs and partnerships, CVRF was poised for a year of unprecedented successes. No one could have predicted the world-changing year to come or the dangers it presented.
At CVRF, our highest priorities are the health and safety of our communities, residents, staff and resources. As the operator of the largest CDQ fishery in Alaska, we steward our region’s natural resources with the express purpose of investing the fishing revenue back into our communities. Even as the virus spread across the world, our staff and crew worked together to navigate the troubled waters of a pandemic year and ensure completion of a safe, successful fishing season.
In 2020, our crew caught and processed 132.6 million pounds of pollock, cod and crab — up 11.26 million (or 8.5%) from 2019. Under normal circumstances, this would be a tremendous achievement. During COVID, it stands as a testament to the dedication, ingenuity and flexibility of our staff and crew. Thanks to careful planning and quick thinking in a global crisis, our Bering Sea fishing operation ended 2020 without a single case of COVID, having caught enough fish to produce world-class fish products worth more than $85 million.
Even during this pandemic, our fishing operations have fueled everything CVRF does in-region. With the revenue from a safe fishing season, we have been able to offer residents key programs modified to follow public health guidelines and protect our communities. As a result, CVRF was able to continue to support our residents during a challenging year.
