Iquique U.S., L.L.C.

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Iquique U.S. was founded in 1987 by Danish fishing pioneer Svend Jespersen and several American partners. This was a time when the American fleet was expanding in Alaska in response to the expansion of federal waters to 200 miles. Svend had fished and lived in Iquique, Chile in the 1970’s and after returning to Denmark, he established a company named Iquique Denmark. When deciding on what to name the U.S. company, he chose Iquique U.S. The first fishing vessels managed by Iquique U.S. were also named after Chilean places: Arica, Cape Horn, and Concepción.

Iquique U.S. started with a single vessel, the F/T ARICA, which was aquired in Singapore and converted at the MARCO Shipyards in Seattle in 1988. She fished her first full season in Alaska in 1989. Her primary product, and the primary product of all of Iquique’s vessels currently in operation, was Headed and Gutted (H&G), Frozen-at-Sea (FAS) flatfish.

By the early 2000’s Iquique-managed vessels had developed a strong presence in the marketplace and on the fishing grounds. The focus of the company and her vessels was and continues to be on Alaska flatfish in the Bering Sea, primarily yellowfin sole, rock sole, flathead sole plus associated catches of Pacific cod and Alaska pollock. In addition, the UNIMAK, ARICA and REBECCA IRENE continue to maintain their licenses to fish in the Gulf of Alaska for Pacific ocean perch, arrowtooth flounder, and other groundfish.

In 2008, the regulations for the Bering Sea fishery were changed from an "Olympic" fishery (a race for fish) to a cooperative quota system. As a result, participants in the industry, including Iquique, are now granted annual fishing quotas that enable all participants to harvest fish in a safer, more economically efficient, environmentally friendly, and market-sensitive manner.  

In a collaborative effort between fishermen and scientists, Iquique and other producers, through the Alaska Seafood Cooperative (AKSC) worked to modify gear to use sweeps raised off the seafloor to reduce the effect of fishing on the seafloor and its habitat. In addition to their gear efforts, Iquique U.S. has made further commitments to maintaining the sustainability of their fishing grounds.