WHAT

Regional Seafood Development Associations- what they are and how to start one

The Alaska Legislature established the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) in 1981, By law, ASMI is prohibited from marketing a specific region’s fish. In 2004, the State of Alaska passed legislation creating the structure for Regional Seafood Development Associations (RSDAs). This empowers Alaska fishermen around the state to launch and run their own region-specific marketing programs to increase the value of their region’s fisheries. It is up to each region in Alaska to establish and fund their own RSDA. 

There are currently two other RSDAs in Alaska, one in Bristol Bay (Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association) and one in Prince William Sound (Copper River/Prince William Sound Regional Seafood Marketing Association).  Fishermen from each of these areas voted to support a 1% RSDA self-assessment tax on their annual gross fishing revenues from their respective fisheries.  With this funding, those RSDAs execute marketing programs, fund fishery research, and provide grants for critical fishery infrastructure.  All of these activities are aimed at increasing the profitability of the regional fisheries that are members of the RSDA.

How to create a RSDA for Southeast Alaska:

The Alaska Legislature in 2004 laid out a formal process for establishing and having regional fisheries join a RSDA. That process entails:

  • Submitting a business plan to the State of Alaska

  • Identifying volunteer, interim Board of Directors 

  • Establishing and submitting bylaws, articles of incorporation 

  • Obtaining a certificate of incorporation 

  • Submitting administrative policies and procedures that address board of directors structure, procurement activities, financial accountability, and election process to the state of Alaska 

  • Apply for and submit federal tax identification number to the State of Alaska

  • Become a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation with the federal government 

How it’s funded:

Trollers will have the opportunity to vote to fund a RSDA for the Southeast Alaska troll fishery and start building a premium brand to raise prices for their premium product. If the vote passes (30% of the ballots must be turned in and a simple majority is needed to pass), trollers will pay a 1% self-assessment to fund their marketing program through SEARSMA.

Based on recent average power-troll ex-vessel prices, the amount raised through a 1% self-assessment on ex-vessel power troll salmon deliveries would be around $260,000 annually.  Grant funding would be the other significant source of funding. As a 501(c)3 non profit, the SEARSMA would be well positioned to apply for substantial marketing grants through fedearl agencies such as the USDA and NOAA, as well as state agencies and private entities.

If you would like to see your dock prices improve, your support is needed to fund a RSDA for troll caught salmon from Southeast Alaska. See FAQ section for more information about RSDAs and how they work for you.

Status and Updates

In response to the increasing struggle to run a viable troll fishing operation in Southeast Alaska, several Alaska-based trollers started talking in 2023 about the need for a marketing program focused on building markets and prices for Southeast Alaska’s troll fishery. In the Winter of 2024, they did research into successful marketing programs for comparable fisheries (e.g. Copper River/Prince William Sound Regional Seafood Marketing Association) and landed on Regional Seafood Development Associations as the most promising path forward. In the Spring of 2025 with grant funding from Southeast Conference, they took the initial steps needed to form a RSDA for Southeast Alaska’s power-troll fleet (S15B permit holders). These steps include:

  • Identify volunteer, interim Board of Directors for a Southeast Alaska RSDA

  • Establish bylaws and articles of incorporation for a Southeast Alaska RSDA

  • Apply with the State of AK to establish an official RSDA for Southeast Alaska (aka Southeast Alaska Regional Seafood Marketing Association)

  • Become a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation with the federal government 

Now that the necessary paperwork has been completed for a RSDA to be formed in Southeast Alaska, the following work is underway:

  • Winter 2025 - Summer 2026 - Outreach to Southeast Alaska’s troll fleet to help educate fishermen about the opportunity to build a regional marketing program and increase the troll fishery’s prices and presence in the marketplace 

  • Fall/Winter 2026 (or whenever there is enough support) - RSDA self-assessment ballots are mailed to all S15B permit owners

If S15B permit owners vote in support of a self-assessment and become a member of the Southeast Alaska RSDA, the next steps and potential timeline would be: 

  • Winter 2027 - Board of Directors is elected by S15B permit owners

  • Spring 2027 - Staffing is secured and the RSDA begins to seek out grant funding and board sets 2027-8 budget and priorities

  • Summer 2028 - Receive first round of funding from 2027 season, start marketing activities approved of by the newly elected board