Hall of Fame Members
In celebration of 50 years of Alaska statehood and sustainable seafood, United Fishermen of Alaska recognized individuals for their lifetime contribution to sustaining Alaska’s commercial fisheries and resources for the benefit of Alaska’s social and economic well-being. The charter members were inducted in 2009 at the ComFish show in Kodiak.
Charter Members:
UFA Honorary Lifetime Membership and Lifetime Achievement
Senator Ted Stevens
UFA honored Senator Ted Stevens for a lifetime of work for sustainable fisheries spanning Alaska’s first 50 years of statehood. His accomplishments include: establishing the 200 mile limit, the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), establishment of the regional fishery management councils, and the ban on high seas driftnets. (2009)
Bob Alverson
Past member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and Pacific Fishery Management Council.Career of fisheries activism and leadership in support of habitat and fish. (2009)
Senator Bob Bartlett
U.S. Senator, in 1964 passed federal legislation that banned foreign fishing fleets in territorial waters. (2009)
Bob Blake
Founding President of UFA; helped enact Limited Entry, and establishment of CFAB. (2009)
The Brindle Family
One of the largest community based processors for 75 years, helped many fishermen get started in small boat fisheries. (2009)
Chuck Bundrant
Started as a deckhand and rose to become #1 Seafood Processor in North America as co-founder of Trident Seafoods. (2009)
Al Burch
Helped develop the groundfish industry in the Gulf of Alaska and was instrumental in developing federal fisheries management. (2009)
Phil Daniel
Founding member of UFA and Worked to develop and pass Alaska’s Limited Entry Act. (2009)
Oscar Dyson
Pioneered research and development of Alaska’s crab and groundfish fisheries. (2009)
Senator Richard (Dick) Eliason
Secured funding for fisheries research and management and worked to ban finfish farming in Alaska. (2009)
Governor Ernest Gruening
Governor, U.S. Senator, and advocate for Alaskan fishermen before and after statehood. (2009)
Governor Jay Hammond
Governor, fisherman, and advocate of habitat protection and science based fisheries.
Gordon Jensen
Put the resource first on the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) and was a fisherman founder of Icicle Seafoods. (2009)
Knute Johnson
Helped organize fishermen statewide to form UFA, and worked for Limited Entry Act. (2009)
Armin F. Koernig
Developed innovative, world class hatchery program and promoted associated research. (2009)
Jerry McCune
Fishermen’s representative in EVOS and lobbyist in passage of over 60 bills in the Alaska State Legislature. (2009)
Representative Drew Scalzi
State representative who was instrumental in the Legislative Salmon Task Force & initiated Limited Entry restructuring legislation 2000 – 2003. (2009)
Senator Clem Tillion
Longtime commercial fishing advocate, politician, and state senator; worked for Limited Entry and IFQ’s. (2009)
Tom Thompson
Worked for community cold storage and value added innovations, longtime supporter of fishermen. (2009)
Bob Thorstenson Sr.
Worked on INPFC for 200 mile limit, fisherman founder of Icicle Seafoods, and industry historian. (2009)
Additional Members:
Bob Moss, Sr.
Pioneer in Alaska fisheries for sixty years, served on the Board of Fisheries, was heavily involved in the Alaska statehood movement and efforts to organize fishermen to represent themselves in the fisheries management process. (2011)
John Winther
Founded Alaska Longline Company, served 6 years on NPFMC during pivotal years for Americanization of Alaska’s fisheries, longtime service on the Northern Panel of the Pacific Salmon Treaty Commission. (2012)
Eric McDowell
Southeast salmon troller for 42 years, founded the McDowell Group, and was a leader in the study and application of economics for Alaska fisheries and communities. (2012)
Senator Fred Dyson
Served in the House and Senate of the Alaska State Legislature from 1997-2014 and is known for keeping an open door policy. Senator Dyson has always used his vast experience in fisheries and other careers to address the concerns of coastal Alaska’s families and communities. (2014)
Bob Tkacz
Tenacious, fearless, doggedly persistent reporter; seeker of fact and truth who passed away in 2014. His beat on Capitol Hill resulted in the informative quasi-fisheries publication, Laws for the Sea. (2014)
Albert W. Ball, Sr.
Bristol Bay commercial fishermen for 82 seasons who worked until the ripe old age of 98 who passed away in 2014. Missing only one season, Albert had one of the longest commercial fishing careers in Alaska. (2014)
Jim Kallander
Made significant contributions to the seafood industry, while building a loyal and committed family of friends. Jim fished a range of fisheries from Hawaii to the Bering Sea before passing away in 2014. (2014)
Keith Jefferts
Founded Northwest Marine Technologies in 1974 on Shaw Island, WA and was instrumental in introducing the Coded Wire Tag to Alaska Fisheries. Keith passed away in 2014 but his technology will continue to benefit the entire State of Alaska. (2014)
Jim Beaton
Founding ASMI board member, founder of UFA & longtime board member, and pioneer of lucrative fisheries. (2015)
John Garner
Former Commercial Fishery Entry Commissioner, Board of Fisheries member, processing industry leader, and mentor to many fishermen he helped become influential fisheries activists. (2018)
Chuck Bundrant
For shaping the Alaska seafood industry and for his genuine desire to forge a sustainable Alaska seafood industry that benefits all stakeholders. (2021)
Jerry Dzugan
For his tireless work in marine safety to ensure fishermen have the tools and skills to be safe at sea. (2021)
Timothy Moore
Cook Inlet, Togiak, and Prince William Sound fisherman who has volunteered countless hours serving on the PSWAC and UFA board of directors and as a tireless advocate for harvesters and the industry as a whole. (2021)
Don Young
Represented Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives for 49 years (1973-2022). Congressman Young was an advocate for fisheries throughout the years and was instrumental in getting the Magnuson – Stevens Act (MSA) passed into law. (2022)
About the UFA Seafood Industry Hall of Fame
What and Why:
In celebration of 50 years of Alaska statehood and sustainable seafood, United Fishermen of Alaska recognized individuals for their lifetime contribution to sustaining Alaska’s commercial fisheries and resources for the benefit of Alaska’s social and economic well-being. The charter members were inducted in 2009 at the ComFish show in Kodiak.
Who:
To be eligible, a person must be nominated by a member of the UFA board of directors. Voting for membership in the UFA Hall of Fame will be conducted no less than once each year, with votes to be cast by UFA board members from a list of all eligible nominees.
How:
Nominations may be made by the United Fishermen of Alaska Board of Directors at any time, through communication with the UFA office. Once nominated, an individual will remain on the list of eligible individuals for future voting.
Voting:
For the charter members, the UFA Board members voted for up to twenty nominees each, and the top 20 vote recipients were entered in the Hall of Fame as charter members. Subsequent voting will take place at the direction of the UFA Board of Directors.