Waterfront Wednesday News

March 26, 2025

Northline Seafoods returns as buyer in Bristol Bay for 2025

Northline's Hannah prepares for another season. Photo: Caitlyn Blaisdale

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Northline Seafoods is excited to announce its return as a buyer for the 2025 Bristol Bay salmon season.

In 2024, Northline Seafoods completed construction of the Hannah, a fully integrated, floating seafood freezing platform designed to improve efficiency in wild salmon processing. The project was propelled by a $40 million Food Supply Chain loan backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the Build Back Better initiative.

However, the Hannah’s inaugural season was disrupted by an electrical fire beneath one of its three spiral freezers just days before the peak of the Bristol Bay season. Despite this setback, Northline continued operations through the season. They remained engaged with the fleet and the fishery, completing the 2024 season as the last Bristol Bay salmon buyer in the region.

“It has been a year of challenges and progress, and we are grateful for the support of our investors, customers, fleet, and stakeholders,” said Ben Blakey, CEO of Northline Seafoods. “We look forward to a prosperous 2025 salmon season."

Northline Seafoods continues to develop its integrated seafood processing model, aiming to enhance efficiency from harvest to market. With the support of key partners, the company remains committed to innovation and improvement as it prepares for the upcoming season.

For more information about the "Hannah" and Northline Seafoods' ongoing projects, please visit www.northlineseafoods.com, linked below:

If you missed it: A Pathway to Protect Working Waterfronts

Squalicum Harbor fishing vessels. Photo: Dan Tucker

Recently, Urban Ocean Lab published a memo, "A Pathway to Protecting Working Waterfronts," and hosted a webinar on the memo last month. If you missed the memo, or the webinar, Urban Ocean Lab as posted the video for those who weren't able to tune in.

The memo and webinar discuss common measures that can be taken to protect our working waterfronts and identifies challenges and barriers to doing so. The group is also tracking the 'Keep America's Waterfronts Working' act in Congress. This bill would assign a task force to identify the significance of working waterfronts in communities on our coasts and offer solutions and pathways to barriers from trade, environmental, and other factors to keep those waterfronts working.

You can view the video linked below:

CBC Opens Hearing Loop

Bellingham, WA – The Community Boating Center (CBC) is thrilled to announce the unveiling of our new hearing loop system, marking a major step toward inclusive and accessible recreation for individuals with hearing loss. Join us as we learn about this powerful tool, made possible through the generosity of Spencer Audiology’s owner, Pam Spencer, and dedicated community members Lou Touchette and Emily Hammond.

Hearing loops provide direct transmission of an instructor’s voice to a participant’s hearing aid or cochlear implant through the telecoil program, ensuring clear communication during classroom instruction. For those without telecoil-equipped devices, CBC will also provide captions during classroom lectures, as well as solutions to help participants hear out on the water.

An event on March 22nd at the Community Boating Center allowed attendees the opportunity to experience the new hearing loop technology firsthand, and helped commemorate this exciting milestone.

To learn more about the project and the Community Boating Center programming, follow the link below:

Seattle zoning was changed outside their comprehensive review process. Photo: Port of Seattle

Port of Seattle recently wrote a response to the Seattle City Council's controversial decision to re-zone areas near the SODO stadiums for luxury housing. The decision comes after the 2023 decision in which the City Council approved the Comprehensive Industrial Lands Package to preserve marine trades lands and industrial zoning along the Duwamish with buffering zones surrounding them (including the SODO area in question). The plan was a hard-won compromise after a 10-year negotiation on how to protect the working waterfront trades and industry in Seattle. The compromise included zoning around the Seattle stadium district for multi-use light-industrial that excluded residential development. This created a transition zone from the residential areas of Seattle, to the industrial core, preventing potential conflicts of use being next to one another.

The pressure on those lands comes from a single developer who had long sought spot-rezoning that would remove land from vital buffer and transition zoning for trades. This could potentially create housing and luxury development next to uses and zoning which would then face further pressures from residents to be moved. The Seattle City Council acted outside the normal comprehensive review process to hold the vote through a committee, against the agreement in the initial compromise from 2023 which stated that all re-zoning of those areas must go through the proper lands-use considerations of the comprehensive review process.

The vote and decision represents a shift in Seattle City Council and highlights the challenges that working waterfronts and maritime industries face not just here in Whatcom County, but throughout the state and nation. You may read the zoning measure's language and the Port of Seattle's response to the decision below:

The new 'Puyallup Tribal Terminal' will be adjacent to the East Blair terminal in Tacoma. Photo: Erik Schultz /  TheSeattle Times

The Coalition's annual Tide to Table Dinner is happening April 26th at the Hotel Bellwether Ballroom, and tickets are now on sale! The dinner is our celebration of the Salish Sea and all it provides with a seafood buffet, live and silent auction, and lots of good camaraderie and fun. Join us for this fun night with your best trackside derby outfits. Big hats, garden-party attire, and mint juleps are all in season as our salmon race for the roses with our Kentucky Derby theme this year.

Tickets will be on sale through April 18th - so get your tickets today via the link below! 

Tickets available for $120/individual, and $880 for a table of 8 - get yours today!

Sponsorships Available

The Coalition would like to thank these early sponsors for their support!

Your Coalition is growing. Your partnership and support make it all possible. Sponsorship options include: 1) Tide-to-Table event sponsorship and/or 2) Coalition in-general supporting the work we do to promote the economic vitality and diversity of working waterfronts here in Whatcom, and throughout the state. Sponsor packages are available at the sponsor deck via the link below. If you'd like to build a custom package - reach out to our staff at Info@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org. 

Donate to our Auction

Want to take a trip to SE Alaska and see the majesty of the great, big, broad land way up yonder?  Would you like to be a brewer for a day with a well-known local brewery?  How about owning a rare print of fine maritime art?  Our auction is shaping up to be exciting this year. Look for individual previews coming soon to whet your appetite as we fund-race for the roses (and our maritime trades advocacy programming)!

Get hyped for the Tide to Table auction this year, and donate your own contribution to the cause!  We invite you to donate items to our live and/or silent auction! If you have gifts, experiences, or unique items that you'd like to go towards creating economic opportunities in our region, preserving our  workforce, and help maintain our waterfronts working, consider donating them to our auctions for Tide to Table '25! 

To donate items, experiences, or gifts, please use the form linked below, or contact our staff at Info@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org. Please send your Item submissions by April 18th.  Contact us today if you'd like to be a part of the auction for this fun evening.

Squalicum Harbor's fishing fleet. Photo: Dan Tucker

San Juan Sailing explores the Salish Sea and Georgia Strait. Photo: San Juan Sailing

The season is approaching for our recreational boaters and charter-passenger fleets to set sail for our inland and near-coastal waters in search of that idyllic cove in which to explore a quiet island or enjoy a post-anchor cocktail. If you're thinking about taking a fun-filled adventure around our Salish Sea and Georgia Straits this summer, bookings are filling up and now's the time to plan your summer island escape!

We have an array of exciting charter and excursion companies here in Whatcom County. To begin your next adventure, give them a look:

The San Juan Islands offer quiet beaches, scenic trails, and plenty of wildlife, and Island Opportunity Charters makes getting there easy. Whether you’re looking for a simple day trip, a weekend camping spot, or a chance to explore by kayak, they provide boat access to some of the most beautiful and remote islands in the region. Visit Sucia Island for hiking and sheltered coves, or explore the old-growth forests of Matia and Patos. Jones and Stuart Islands offer campsites with great views, while Clark and Cypress provide a more rugged, off-the-grid experience. If you’re interested in protected landscapes, Yellow Island’s wildflowers and Vendovi’s quiet shores are worth the trip.

As a family-run business, they take pride in offering safe, memorable, and personalized experiences on the water. Captains Mark Riedesel and Craig Hougen have spent years navigating these waters, while Operations Manager Jenny Foertsch keeps everything running smoothly. Their hardworking deckhands, Kaiden, Isa, and Seth, help ensure every trip is comfortable and enjoyable.

Their two boats are built for island exploration. Opportunity Knots, their 12-passenger landing craft, is great for reaching remote beaches, while Sound Traveler, the newest addition to their fleet, offers a smaller, flexible option for exploring the islands. However you like to travel, they’ll help you get there.

Check out the services they offer and destinations they go: Island Opportunity Charters Services & Destinations

If you're looking to charter your own vessel, get some sailing instruction, or perhaps you're in the market to purchase your own vessel, San Juan Sailing has you covered. San Juan Sailing, a locally-owned and operated charter company here in Bellingham, has vessels, itineraries, and courses available to help make your summer a memorable one. Rated #1 by readers of Cruising World in customer service and charter value, their goal is to make your next trip amazing. They have one of the most well-respected and experienced sailing schools in the region and over 40 years of experience in the charter-boat industry. They can help you navigate both selling your vessel or purchasing your next one with brokers who understand boats.

Check out their brochures linked below:

• The sail and power charter fleet (availability calendar at San Juan Sailing and San Juan Yachting Availability Calendar)
• Sail & Power courses (More information and course dates at San Juan Sailing Courses)
• Guided Flotillas (More information at San Juan Sailing Guided Flotillas)

Pacific Halibut. Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries

With reduced catch limits and economic uncertainty regarding the climate and proposed tariffs by the current US Administration, the Pacific Halibut season opened on March 20th . The National Fisherman magazine explored the halibut fishery's status this year in a recent article, which you can read below:

Photo: Getty Images

The Fishermen First Aid and Safety Training (FFAST) course is a two-day intensive first aid course. It was built to help commercial fishermen prevent and treat injuries they are likely to encounter at sea.

The FFAST course provides essential first aid training and meets the stringent requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard for onboard first aid training. It is a valuable complement to the U.S. Coast Guard-required “Drill Conductor Course,” where fishermen learn how to conduct safety drills regularly to prepare the crew for emergencies.

The FFAST course, spanning 16 hours and including basic CPR, is specifically designed to address the unique challenges faced by Pacific Northwest fishermen. It takes into account the small crews, common injuries, vessel environments, cold water, rough seas, and delayed emergency response times typical to Pacific Northwest fisheries.

The two day course will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a break of 45 min for lunch.

• Westport, WA–April 24-25, 2025

Workshop fee: $150

To sign up for a workshop, contact Robert Maw, Washington Sea Grant fisheries specialist: rmaw@uw.edu or (775) 721-3376. Find more via the link below:

Katie Gaut and Melissa Roberts. Photo: Community Boating Center

Join the Community Boating Center this evening for "Tide Talks: Sail Like a Mother." 
Hear from:
Katie Gaut is a cartographer and digital storyteller who harbors a profound passion for the sea and for empowering women in sailing. With over 20 years of experience on the ocean, including a 50-ton master Coast Guard license and ASA sailing instructor credentials, she's captained boats in Hawaii, Alaska and the San Juans. 

Melissa Roberts is an aquatic ecologist turned ER nurse who knew next to nothing about sailing but lots about Type 2 fun. She has spent many summers cruising the Inside Passage as a cook on an eco-tourism boat, and couldn't wait to return to those magical waters. 

Katie and Melissa will share the story of their grand adventure as three moms who decided to compete in the Race to Alaska. They will discuss their decision-making process, the planning and preparation involved, the experience of the race itself, and their reflections on the journey.

Produced By: Community Boating Center

Contact Person: Angela Morovic
Phone: 360-714-8891
Email: info@boatingcenter.org

Find out more:

Saturday, April 12, 2-3:30pm, Drayton Harbor Oyster Company
Local shellfish experts will share what they know about the role of shellfish in tribal food sovereignty, the pleasures and pitfalls of growing shellfish commercially, great ways to enjoy oysters (yes, you'll get to enjoy eating them!), and maintaining this important food source in Whatcom County. WWIN and Bellingham SeaFeast invites you to join in this delicious event generously sponsored by the Drayton Harbor Oyster Company!

Attendance is free and space is limited - so arrive early to grab a spot! A portion of the proceeds from food and beverage purchases will support SeaFeast's ocean conservation efforts.

This event immediately follows a  Blaine Beach Cleanup at 11am hosted by Bellingham Seafeast.  Help us brighten up our beach and then enjoy some delicious bivalves afterward! 

More information available at BellinghamSeafeast.org: