Amy Grondin and Greg Friedrichs fish for salmon together
off the coasts of Washington and Alaska. They've been in the
industry for more than 20 years, working for others before
starting their own business in 2009. Being a small producer in
the seafood industry isn't easy. Boats and gear are expensive.
Harvest rates can rise and fall markedly. Demanding physical
labor is done in tight spaces for months at sea. Yet, Greg and
Amy are passionate about salmon and their storied history.
They take great care to fish for them sustainably, which is
catching the attention of chefs in Seattle.
Greg grew up in South Africa surfing and sport fishing with his
dad. The maritime lifestyle of adventure appealed to him in his
20s, but he didn't see how he could make a living fishing. So, he
came to the U.S. to study boat building in Maine. That's where
he met Amy. She grew up in Maine and had just moved home
after college. The two friends never imagined they would fish
together commercially someday.
Greg and Amy started in the industry on tender boats, hired
by seafood companies to buy salmon from fishermen at sea
and deliver it to shore-based processors. They learned about
fishing by observing the fleet and wanted to try it out for
themselves. Today, they troll for salmon catching fish one at
a time on hooks and line. Each salmon is landed on the boat
individually or released if it isn't the right species. Trolling is
more labor intensive than fishing with a net, but the extra
care pays off in dividends by the quality of the fish.
Catching beautiful fish is one thing. Marketing it yourself is
another. Initially the couple sold their fresh fish to wholesale
buyers on the dock. "Fresh" means the fish is sold within five
days of the catch. To sell their own fish and capture a premium
price, they needed a boat that could freeze fish at sea. In 2017
they found it – the Arminta, a 48-ft. wooden fishing boat.
Problem was, most lenders don't like to loan on wooden boats
because they require thorough care and maintenance. If
fishermen get into financial trouble, maintenance is usually
the first thing they cut.
"Greg and Amy are amazing people with strong character,"
says Brett Cheney, Northwest FCS Relationship Manager.
"They have a great seafood product, good marketing skills,
and years of experience caring for wooden boats. They are
9 Northwest Farm Credit Services
A Direct Line from Boat to Chef
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