Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based United Catcher Boats, an organization which represents owners of vessels which trawl for groundfish and Bering Sea Crab in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and West Coast commercial fisheries, has named Andrea Keikkala as its new executive director.
Keikkala replaces long-time director Brent Paine, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Paine has been with the organization since its founding in 1993. His departure comes during a down period in the Alaska commercial seafood sector, the profitability of which declined 50 percent from 2022 to 2023.
One of the factors pushing this decline has been competition from Russia pollock, which can be labeled as Alaska pollock on the international market. The United Catcher Boats represents about 70 vessels, many of which fish for pollock in the Eastern Bering Sea.
Keikkala has held a number of leadership and communications roles, including working as assistant director of the International Pacific Halibut Commision, the executive director of the Washington Business Week, the CEO of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, and the executive director of the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce.
"Andrea’s experience in fisheries management and her commitment to a sustainable fishing industry make her the ideal leader to guide UCB through the evolving landscape of the Alaska and West Coast fisheries," United Catcher Boats President Hunter Berns said in a release announcing Keikkala’s appointment. "We are confident that her collaborative approach will help strengthen our industry while ensuring the long-term health of the marine ecosystems we depend on."
For her part, Keikkala said that she is committed to fostering collaboration between the industry, regulators, Alaska coastal communities, tribes, and environmental stakeholders.
"My focus will be on advancing policies that support both the economic viability of our fleet, the supply of healthy and nutritious seafood to global consumers, and the long-term sustainability of Alaska's vital fisheries," she said. "By working together, we can ensure a balanced approach that benefits the industry, communities, and the ecosystems we rely on."
