The annual Bristol Bay Wild Salmon Celebration will take place in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. This event celebrates the fish, water, and people of Bristol Bay, home to the world’s most prolific commercial wild sockeye salmon fishery that is responsible for producing more than half of the sockeye sold worldwide. The event is attended by Alaska’s Congressional Delegation, BBNC Board Members and staff, and other supporters of salmon. The event recognizes and congratulates this year’s Fish First awardees:
The Late Ralph Andersen
The late Ralph Andersen was a dedicated Alaska Native leader from Clark’s Point, Alaska who spent his life serving the people and communities of Bristol Bay. As longtime President and CEO of the Bristol Bay Native Association, Ralph worked tirelessly to protect Native cultures, support tribal sovereignty, and defend the lands and waters that sustain Alaska Native life.
A skilled advocate and storyteller, Ralph was known for his humility, deep wisdom, and unwavering commitment to future generations. He played a key role in opposing the proposed Pebble mine, led regional and statewide organizations, and helped bring national attention to Bristol Bay—including during President Obama’s historic visit in 2015.
Ralph’s legacy lives on in the strength of the communities he championed and the clarity of his voice for salmon, Native rights, and the land he loved.
Dr. Daniel Schindler
Dr. Daniel Schindler is a Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington where he has been on the faculty since 1997. He is a principal investigator of the UW Alaska Salmon Program (FRI), which has studied the ecology of salmon and their watersheds in western Alaska since 1946.
Dr. Schindler received a BSc with Honors from the University of British Columbia, and a MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has published over 230 peer-reviewed scientific papers and serves as an editor of the journals Ecology and Ecosystems. He is a previous recipient of the Frank Rigler Award from the Society of Canadian Limnologists, the Carl R. Sullivan Fishery Conservation Award from the American Fisheries Society, and the G.E. Hutchinson Award from the Association for the Science of Limnology and Oceanography.
Dr. Schindler was elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2018 and recognized as a Fellow of the American Fisheries Society in 2021. He provides professional service to a wide variety of governmental, tribal, and non-governmental organizations.
The Late Tim Wonhola Sr.
The late Tim Wonhola Sr. of New Stuyahok, Alaska was a beloved Elder, knowledge bearer, and powerful advocate for Bristol Bay and its people. His voice resonated from the banks of the Nushagak River to the halls of Juneau, Washington, D.C. and beyond. A devoted protector of salmon and clean water, Tim played a vital role in the fight against the proposed Pebble Mine.
His deep reverence for the land and water guided his advocacy and inspired all who knew him. Alongside his wife Mary, Tim shared his wisdom, heart, and unshakable love for his homeland with communities across Alaska. He often reminded us that we must speak for the water, because it cannot speak for itself. His words carried the weight of generations, and they will not be forgotten. Tim’s legacy lives on in the waters he fought to protect and in the many lives he touched.
TAGS:
Corporate
,Regional
,Shareholder