Icicle Seafoods is readying a leased seafood plant at Adak for limited capacity processing this summer, with plans to become fully operational in time for the 2012 Pacific cod season. Icicle president Dennis Guhlke said the Adak facility presents both unique opportunities and challenges.
“We are excited by the prospect of it complementing our existing Icicle operations and providing further scale and diversification to our business,” Guhlke said in a news release issued jointly this week by Icicle and Aleut Enterprise LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Aleut Corp., an Alaska Native regional firm.
Aleut Corp. board chairman Sharon Lind said the Native firm is happy to be providing Icicle with the opportunity to bring additional economic development to the Western Aleutians and Adak in particular.
“We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship that will benefit not only Icicle Seafoods and the Aleut Enterprise, but the community and the fishing sector that harvests in the area,” Lind said.
The deal, announced April 8, was put together by Aleut Fisheries LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aleut Enterprises, and Western Star Seafoods, Inc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Icicle Seafoods.
Guhlke said he hopes his company’s presence at Adak will be well-received, and offer more opportunity to vessels operating further west of Alaska. “I hope we can partner up with some fishermen in the area,” he said.
While it’s difficult to say what employment opportunities the plant will be offering, the diversified seafood firm hopes to be operational by mid-summer to support the fleet on halibut, back cod and Pacific cod, he said.
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