United Fishermen of Alaska is pleased to announce the election of at-large board members Lindsey Bloom, Zachary Hill, Bruce Schactler, and Paul A. Shadura II. The organization’s individual and lifetime members elect four at-large directors to represent more than 400 members on the board of directors. The at-large directors will serve two-year terms beginning June 15 and ending April 14, 2017.
Lindsey Bloom, of Juneau, grew up fishing Bristol Bay and Southeast salmon gillnet, and currently gillnets in Southeast. She also serves on the Juneau Fisheries Development Committee and participated in the Walker administration’s Transition Team and Sustainable Future dialogue held in Fairbanks earlier this month. She has been a member and board member of several fishermen’s associations, including past terms on the UFA board.
Zach Hill, of Anchorage, fishes the Kodiak area salmon purse seine fishery; previously fished salmon in Upper and Lower Cook Inlet, and in Prince William Sound, as well as herring all around the state. In addition to fishing, Hill is a CPA and member of North Pacific Fisheries Association in Homer, on the Finance Committee of Seafood Harvesters of America, and is on the steering committee for the Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit.
Bruce Schactler, of Kodiak, has an extensive fisheries background in various parts of the state, including Southeast and Kodiak salmon seine; Tanner crab in Kodiak and Togiak; longlining for cod and halibut; and herring throughout the state for food, bait and roe. He also is the director of the Alaska Global Food Aid Program with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the national director for the National Seafood Marketing Coalition. He coauthored the UFA Marketing Plan in 2001, which led to USDA Country of Origin Labeling for seafood, USDA Trade Adjustment Assistance eligibility for fishermen, and inclusion of Alaska salmon and herring in food aid programs. Schactler has served as an at-large board member since 1993, and he received the 2013 UFA Fisherman of the Year award.
Paul A. Shadura II, of Kenai, is a third-generation Cook Inlet salmon, halibut and herring fisherman who has fished set gillnet, seine, and longline, as well as tendering and buying. He is a past UFA vice president and board member; past president, vice president and executive director of Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association; current commercial representative on the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Committee; and Finance chair on Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association board. He owns PAS Services, a resource consulting business.
“Over the past year, UFA has actively engaged the younger generation of fisheries leaders to take over key leadership roles when the current generation leaves the industry,” said UFA President Jerry McCune. “Our success is evident with Mr. Matt Alward and Ms. Megan O’Neil joining our executive committee earlier this year, and continues with the additions of Ms. Bloom and Mr. Hill as at-large representatives on the UFA board. UFA is absolutely thrilled that the next generation of fisheries leaders are serving on our board.”
United Fishermen of Alaska is the statewide commercial fishing trade association, representing 35 Alaska commercial fishing organizations participating in fisheries throughout the state and its offshore federal waters.
