October 20, 2010

Tonka Seafoods looks into shrimp processing

Tonka Seafoods Inc. is interested in restarting shrimp processing in Petersburg, Alaska, seeking permission from the Petersburg Harbor Board to build a two-story warehouse close to the Petersburg Community Cold Storage facility.

The US-based company is currently processing over 500,000 pounds of seafood per year, but plans to expand into pink shrimp processing. Initial plans are to have the capacity to process two million pounds of shrimp by 2011.

With some help from the Petersburg Indian Association (PIA), the tentative plan is to open before next summer if possible, Tonka Seafoods co-owner Seth Scrimsher said.

PIA is working to secure funding for the shrimp processing equipment necessary to start the business.

"We've been planning for three years to re-open shrimp, and this is the first step in doing so," Scrimsher said.

The proposal before the harbour board included a rough sketch of the building design, as well as a sketch of the buildings proposed site on the finger behind the community cold storage building. The building would be located on the opposite side of the finger to allow for boats to unload dockside.