How Kaia Seafoods, KAPP, and Sæplast are helping protect premium seafood from the moment it comes on board

Alaska Pacific cod is already one of the world’s great seafood products. It comes from cold, clean waters and has the natural quality, texture, and flavor that premium markets look for.

For Kaia Seafoods, the challenge is not to create that quality. It is to preserve it.

Onboard the F/V Kaia in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, Erik Velsko, Lacey Velsko, Captain Murray, and the crew are showing what it takes to protect that value from the first moment the fish comes out of the water. Their focus is not simply on landing more fish. It is on landing better fish, fish that arrives fresher, stronger, and with more of its natural quality intact.

That mindset is at the heart of Kaia Seafoods.

Quality does not begin at the processing plant. It begins on deck. It begins with how the fish is handled, how quickly it is chilled, how carefully it is stored, and how consistently that process is repeated in real fishing conditions.

As Lacey Velsko explains in the film, this is about building a seafood business around higher standards rather than shortcuts.

“Alaska cod is already an exceptional product. Our job is to protect that quality from the moment it comes on board.”
Lacey Velsko
Co-owner and Business Partner, Kaia Seafoods

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Quality That Deserves to Be Protected

In Alaska, fishermen work with an exceptional raw material. Pacific cod has the potential to become a premium product, but that potential can be lost quickly if temperature, handling, and storage are not controlled from the start.

Every minute matters.

When fish is exposed to temperature changes, rough handling, or uneven chilling, quality begins to decline. Texture, appearance, freshness, shelf life, and ultimately value can all be affected before the product ever reaches the dock.

Kaia Seafoods is taking a different approach.

Instead of treating chilling as an afterthought, Kaia has built it into the center of the onboard process. The goal is simple: protect the fish while it is at its best.

That is where KAPP’s OptimICE® slurry ice technology plays a critical role.

OptimICE® surrounds the fish with liquid slurry ice, allowing for fast, uniform chilling and stable temperature control throughout the trip. For Kaia, that means the catch can be cooled quickly, handled gently, and held in a controlled environment from vessel to dock.

The result is a more consistent product — and a better way to preserve the natural quality of Alaska cod.

A System Built for Real Fishing Conditions

This film brings the story on board the F/V Kaia, where quality has to work in practice, not just in theory.

Captain Murray and the crew are responsible for making the system work in demanding North Pacific conditions. On deck, there is no room for complicated processes that slow down the operation. The equipment has to be durable. The workflow has to be practical. And the quality system has to fit the vessel's rhythm.

That is why the partnership between Kaia Seafoods, KAPP, Sæplast, and iTUB is so important.

KAPP provides the slurry ice technology. Sæplast provides the durable insulated tubs. iTUB supports the logistics that make the tub system practical for the operation. Together, the system helps Kaia protect the catch from the start.

The fish is not simply stored. It is actively protected.

“On deck, the system has to work. The tubs, the ice, and the handling all have to fit the rhythm of the boat.”
Captain Murray
Captain, F/V Kaia

From Vessel to Dock, Every Step Matters

For Kaia Seafoods, quality is not one decision. It is a chain of decisions.

It is the choice to use better tubs.
It is the choice to chill faster.
It is the choice to reduce unnecessary handling.
It is the choice to protect the fish before quality is lost.

From the moment the cod comes on board, the process is designed to preserve value. Sæplast insulated tubs help protect the product physically and thermally. KAPP’s OptimICE® slurry ice helps maintain rapid, consistent chilling. The onboard crew brings the discipline and attention to detail needed to make the system work trip after trip.

That combination is what makes the difference.

It is not about volume alone. It is about respect for the fish, respect for the work, and respect for the value that can be created when quality is protected from the beginning.

A Family Business Raising the Bar

With Erik and Lacey Velsko, Kaia Seafoods is also a story about building something for the future.

Their approach reflects a broader shift in the seafood industry. Premium markets are asking for better quality, better handling, and more consistency. Buyers can see the difference. Processors can work with the difference. And consumers ultimately benefit from a better product.

Kaia is showing that Alaska seafood can compete not only on origin and volume, but on quality, presentation, shelf life, and value.

That requires a different mindset. It also requires the right partners.

Working with KAPP and Sæplast, Kaia is helping demonstrate what a modern onboard cold chain can look like for Alaska cod. The fish already has exceptional natural quality. The system is there to protect it.

Setting a Higher Standard for Alaska Seafood

This story is not just about equipment.

It is about changing expectations for how Alaska seafood can be handled, chilled, and delivered. It is about moving away from the idea that success is measured only by how much fish is landed. It is about proving that quality-focused fishing can create more value from every catch.

For Kaia Seafoods, the mission is clear: preserve the quality Alaska cod already has and deliver a product that reflects the fish's true value.

With KAPP’s OptimICE® technology, Sæplast insulated tubs, and a crew committed to doing things right, the F/V Kaia is helping set a higher standard from sea to shore.

Because when the fish is this good, every step should be designed to keep it that way.

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