ABOUT WFOA:

Western Fishboat Owners Association 1967 – 2022

Western Fishboat Owners’ Association (WFOA),  a non-profit association representing albacore troll-vessel owners and supporting businesses in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. It started by fishermen back in 1967 as a way to stabilize market prices for albacore tuna and has evolved over the years into a group representing fishermen in markets, pricing, management and regulation from the state levels to the international level. Our membership has been stable throughout those years as has the fishing and stocks we fish on with only a few seasons exceptions.

The Western Fishboat Owners’ Association (WFOA) management includes 16- 20 directors from 10 districts. The number of directors in each district is based on the total number of regular members in each district. The numbers are reapportioned each year prior to the annual general membership meeting. WFOA is based in Redding, California and hires office help and other staff as needed.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Western Fishboat Owners’ Association
P.O. Box 992723
Redding, CA 96099
Phone: 530-229-1097
Mobile: 530-355-3151
Email: wfoa@charter.net

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS:

Regular & Associate Member / Vessel Owners
Supporting Member / Businesses
Supporting Member / Letter
Retired & Crewmember

OFFICERS / DIRECTORS / STAFF

Officers:  President – Doug Fricke, Vice President – Karl Johnson, Secretary/Treasurer – Teresa Reeves

DIRECTORS 2022:

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vacant

PUGET SOUND 
Karl Johnson
Jeremy Brown
Michael Brown
Bruce Samuelson

ASTORIA /WESTPORT 
Louie Hill
Ed Bittner
Libie Cain
Doug Fricke
Ron Harper

COOS BAY / NEWPORT
Henry deRonden
Shawn Ryan

EUREKA / FORT BRAGG 
Aaron Newman

SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND 
Vacant

MOSS LANDING 
Tom Hart

MORRO BAY 
Wayne Moody

SAN DIEGO / SoCal / Hawaii
John LaGrange
Rob McAdam

NEW ZEALAND 
Vacant

STAFF 
Wayne Heikkila (Executive Director) Redding, California
Mike Conroy (Legal and Management Consultant) Los Angeles, California

The Original WFOA Board in 1967:

Seated left to right:
Verne Gramling, Doug Brinton, Harry Larsen, Mike Tyler, Bob Insinger (Manager), Ray Wadsworth.
Standing front, left to right:
Paul Hawkins, Chet White, Dick Cramer, Currt Olsen, Leon Cordileone, Leif Reinholdtsen, Ted Jacobsen.
Standing back, left to right:
Bill Winchell, J.V. Shaw, Virgil Smith, Frank LaGamma, Sandy Munro, Herb Gale, Joe Tarantino, Bill Hansen, Arnold Reinholdtsen.