In 1998, Congress ended the practice of foreign companies getting around the 200-mile restriction by registering as a U.S. business. The law required 75 percent American ownership for companies operating in the Pacific.
"One of the bill’s architects was Bundrant,’’ said Paine of United Catcher Boats. “It helped his business thrive."
Today, Trident’s business is buttressed by a surging market for fish as consumers seek to add healthy protein to their diets, according to research from the United Nations. An index of fish prices, the Oslo Seafood Index Global, has jumped more than 300 percent over the past five years, propelled by rising salmon demand and higher prices.
Chuck Bundrant has always been fond of Henry Ford, according to Paine. "He told me once: ‘Every industry needs a strong leader, it helps smaller businesses. I am that big leader.’"
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.