Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit Convenes Dec. 6 in Anchorage

The 2017 Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit opens at the Dena-ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska on December 6, for three days of training in marketing, business management, the fisheries regulatory process and the science of fisheries management. The event will overlap with the December meeting of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings at the Hilton Anchorage, which is on the agenda as a field trip for young fishermen participating in the summit.

Alaska Board of Fisheries member and veteran Bristol Bay harvester Fritz Johnson of Dillingham, Alaska, will deliver the keynote address on the first morning. Also on the morning’s agenda are seafood marketing specialist Quentin Fong of Alaska Sea Grant Kodiak, who will address Alaska’s role in domestic and world markets and the importance of quality, Jeremy Woodrow of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, speaking on ASMI’s marketing and consumer trends, and Fritz Johnson, addressing the importance of chilling the catch in Bristol Bay.

The next day includes science and management of Alaska fisheries, guidelines on how to get involved in state and federal fisheries issues, and an introduction to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game with Forrest Bowers, deputy director of the Division of Commercial Fisheries.

Jerry Dzugan of the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association is among the speakers for the final day of the summit, he will address vessel stability and operational safety.

The complete agenda is available online at https://seagrant.uaf.edu/map/workshops/2017/ayfs/ayfs-2017-draft-agenda.pdf

The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association is also offering a U.S. Coast Guard approved drill conductor course on December 9, the morning after the end of the summit. Preregistration is required and can be done online at www.amsea.org