About OAC

The Oregon Albacore Commission (OAC) was formed at the request of the fishing industry and created by the Oregon Legislature in October 1999 and is a part of the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s (ODA) Commodity Commission Program.

The Commission is funded by an assessment of the cash value on all Albacore landed in the state. This assessment is split equally between the harvester and the first receiver. The OAC serves the commercial albacore troll fishing industry by supporting and engaging in activities and research programs that benefit the production, harvesting, handling, processing, marketing and use of Oregon Albacore. The nine members of the Commission – five producers (fishermen), three handlers, and one public member – are appointed by the ODA director and serve three-year terms.

Commissioners

  • Rick Goché - Producer, Coquille

    CHAIR

    Rick Goché has been involved in the seafood business from research to retail for over 40 years. He fishes the F/V Peso II for Albacore and markets a large portion of his catch under his family brand Sacred Sea Tuna.

    “As Chairman of the Oregon Albacore Commission I take pride in helping to promote Oregon Albacore for the fleet and the processors who support us. My dream is to one day see most of the Albacore Tuna we land in Oregon be consumed in Oregon.”

  • Clay Archambault - Producer, Newport

    VICE CHAIR

    Clay Archambault is the owner and operator of F/V Island Girl and has been involved in the fishing industry for over 20 years. Through Island Girl Seafoods, Inc., he has gained experience in producing and running a small business, as well as handling and processing tuna and other pelagics.

    Clay joined the commission to help in the efforts to sustain this industry locally and globally.

    “With an increasing demand for quality and local commodities to consumers, we should ramp up our efforts to reach as many consumers as possible.”

    Photo by: Nairne Dickey

  • Cari Brandberg - Handler, Newport

    SECRETARY/TREASURER

    Cari Brandberg comes from a long-standing fishing family and grew up in the Newport fishing community. With her partner, Cody Chase she runs Chelsea Rose Seafood.

    Chelsea Rose Seafood is a multi-generational family business offering fresh sustainable seafood.

  • Jennifer Burns Bright - Public Member, Astoria

    Jennifer Burns Bright is an editor and writer based in Astoria. She oversees MEDIAmerica’s editorial content for Oregon visitor guides and enewsletters for clients including Travel Oregon, Oregon Coast Visitors Association, Oregon Wine Board, and multiple regions and towns.

    She joined the team in 2021 after many years as a freelance travel writer and food educator specializing in sustainable seafood. Her clients included AAA’s outlets in the Northwest, Oregon Humanities, OSU Seafood Lab, American Cruise Lines and many regional and national publications.

    Before the pandemic, she produced and hosted a radio talk show on local seafood on Astoria’s KMUN and served on the Board of the North Coast Food Web. Bright has a Ph.D in English literature from University of California at Irvine and taught at University of Oregon for many years before relocating to Port Orford and Astoria.

  • Jon Gonzalez - Handler, Clackamas

    Jonathan Gonzalez was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California where he developed a connection to the ocean through surfing, scuba diving and a passion for advocating to promote and protect US fisheries and working waterfronts.

    Before relocating to Portland, Oregon in 2017 to work at Pacific Seafood as their Fisheries Policy Specialist, Jonathan served as the Assistant Director of the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center from 2007-2012 and was also the co-founder of Santa Barbara’s first Community Supported Fishery.

    Jonathan is currently a Board Member of the California Coast Crab Association and the Shoreside Whiting Cooperative, and he serves as an advisor to the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group.

  • Brett Montague - Producer, Newport

    Brett Montague is the owner/operator of the F/V Jo El in Newport, Oregon. He sells blast frozen Albacore Tuna directly to restaurants and consumers. His Safe Harbor Seafoods loins and canned albacore may be found in local markets and purchased direct through the Central Coast Food Web.

  • Patrick Roelle - Producer, Reedsport

    Patrick Roelle has been a professional fisherman since 1999. He and his family also created, owned and operated Fishpatrick’s Crabby Cafe, a beloved restaurant in Winchester Bay, OR for 15 years.

    From their fishing vessels, the James Lee and the Colby Lee in Winchester Bay, OR, the Roelle family run Fishpatrick’s.

  • Ericka Carlson - Executive Director

    Ericka Carlson is a native Oregonian who has great pride in our region’s bounty. In 2003, after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, NY, she returned to Portland and taught cooking classes featuring the best from local farmers, fishers, and ranchers. She enjoyed promoting our region’s products and teaching people to cook using the bounty of the Pacific Northwest.

    As publisher of Edible Portland magazine at Ecotrust, she continued this work telling stories of Oregon’s agriculture and fisheries. The goal of the magazine was not simply to tell these stories, but to get people to engage with the bounty of our region by getting out and experiencing our farms, ranches, and fishing communities, and most importantly to encourage people to buy Oregon products and support the livelihoods of all our producers and more broadly, our state’s economy.