SeafoodNews.com, August 26, 2026
A milestone was celebrated earlier this month in the remote town of Savooonga on St. Laurence Island in the Northern Bering Sea, as the community’s new halibut processing plant was officially opened and christened the Orville Evekaan Toolie Halibut Plant.
Mr. Toolie, an employee of the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), who has served the fishers in Savooonga since 1992, was the honorary guest at the community celebration.
“Orville worked to help transform an old Head Start school building into the initial plant in the 1990s and spent the next 30-plus years managing the operations and keeping the facility operating with his ingenuity and broad talents,” NSEDC said in a statement. “But even the best efforts can only go so far, and the age of the first facility had caught up with it.”
“Orville has done an amazing job to support our fishers as the plant manager and to develop and maintain that first plant,” said NSEDC Savoonga Representative and Vice Chairman Preston Rookok. “But it had come time to build a more modern and efficient facility. I am proud that the NSEDC board came together to approve and develop the project which should serve our fishers and unique fishery for many more decades.”
Mary Peltola in Savoonga, AK
The day marked a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new building, followed by a tour, a community feast that included fresh Pacific halibut, and a facility blessing by Savoonga elder Paul Rookok.
The plant expands NSEDC’s fisheries support infrastructure and has been in operation for the current halibut season. The new plant lets fishers deliver closer to their fishing grounds, improving access for both employees and fishers.
Current landings in Area 4D, the management region Savooonga is in, are listed at 360,000 lbs. out of a total quota of 912,000, or about 40% of the catch. The season continues until December 7, 2026.
Photo Credit: NSEDC
Photo Caption: Orville Toolie (center) cuts the ribbon to celebrate the completion of NSEDC’s new halibut plant in Savoonga. Orville is flanked by (left to right) Tarik Toolie, Josh Osborne, Paul Rookok, Sr. (sitting), Miller Kingeekuk, DeAnna Noongwook, Chad Kingeekuk, Dana Noongwook and Jewells Apatiki.
