Processing salmon at the Petersburg cannery

Petersburg fisheries, AKA, Icicle Seafoods is one of the largest seafood processors in Alaska for over half a century. Peter Buschmann, a Norwegian immigrant, built the original cannery, docks and saw mill in Petersburg. He saw promise in this land due to its locality with the LeConte Glacier right around the corner. Mr. Buschmann was able to capitalize on chipping ice from the glacier’s edge to pack on the boats that held fish to be sold south. In 1910 the town of Petersburg (which is named after Mr. Buschmann) was incorporated. Our town celebrates Norwegian Constitution Day in memory of our founding father and many of its residents. The PFI cannery is alive and well today, setting record highs this summer for the catching of salmon. Petersburg is ranked 15th most lucrative fishing port in the United States by volume according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.