Veteran Iditarod musher Travis Beals (bib #14), of Seward, Alaska, is the first musher to arrive at the Kaltag checkpoint at 3:03 p.m. with 12 dogs in harness.   In doing so, Beals claims the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Fish First Award. BBNC’s Senior Vice President of Shareholder Development, Carol Wren, traveled to Kaltag to present the award, which consists of 25 pounds of fresh Bristol Bay salmon filets, $2,000 and a wood burned art piece by BBNC shareholder artist Apay’uq Moore.

“Bristol Bay Native Corporation congratulates Travis and his team for being the first into Kaltag,” said Jason Metrokin, BBNC President and CEO. “Both dog mushing and fishing are longstanding traditions in Bristol Bay, and we’re excited to honor both with the 10th annual Fish First Award. We wish Travis the best of luck and hope they enjoy the taste of Bristol Bay this summer.”

Bristol Bay is home to the world’s largest wild sockeye salmon fishery. BBNC has endorsed a Fish First value for land and resource management in Bristol Bay. In all land management and resource development decisions, adequate protections for fish and fish habitat will always be a priority. The Fish First Award will be re-presented to Beals at the finishers banquet in Nome.