Erik Breivik, the founder of Glacier Fish and a leading figure in the Alaska groundfishing industry, passed away on Wednesday, 5 December.
Breivik came to the United States in the 1980s to help develop the frozen-at-sea processing industry in Alaska.
Alongside several other fishing families, Breivik helped to found the Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Glacier Fish Company soon after his arrival stateside. Today, the company is considered to be the third-largest at-sea harvester of Alaska pollock in the Bering Sea, with Breivik’s son Mike serving as CEO, a role he assumed in 2011.
National Fisheries Institute President John Connelly memorialized Breivik's leading role in a statement.
“A giant in the groundfish world, Erik Breivik was the founder of Glacier Fish and a pioneer in Bering Sea fisheries,” Connelly said. “He was direct, honest and intelligent, qualities that made him a superb executive, a visionary fishermen, and a devoted father. He will be missed by those in the global groundfish business and beyond."
Breivik was renowned for his savvy and strategic mind, especially regarding the expansion of Glacier Fish, according to Connelly. In 2008, he oversaw the merger of Glacier Fish with Alaska Ocean Seafood of Anacortes, a deal that further cemented the company as a leader in the Bering Sea pollock and Pacific West Coast whiting fisheries.
Glacier Fish currently operates three vessels: the Alaska Ocean, the Pacific Glacier, and the Northern Glacier. The company is owned by Norton Sound Economic Development Corp. (NSEDC), with a 50 percent stake, as well as Nippon Suisan Kaisha, the Breivik family, and other investors.
Image courtesy of the Glacier Fish Company
