Eight legislators tasked with helping to lift the Alaska seafood industry out of a financial crisis have recommended 27 specific steps related to marketing, workforce development and more, including annual meetings of the Alaska Board of Fisheries for each region.
The report of the Joint Legislative Task Force Evaluating Alaska’s Seafood Industry, approved on Jan. 31, also included four primary recommendations aimed at catalyzing public and private investment, removing barriers to modernization and innovation, supporting critical infrastructure development and creating requisite conditions for the industry to thrive.
Potential changes for the Alaska Board of Fisheries include replacement of the three-year rotating meeting cycle with annual meetings for each region, the addition of regional representatives to the board, adoption of statewide management standards modeled on federal national standards and creation of a scientific committee staffed by fisheries biologists and marine scientists from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the University of Alaska and qualified research institutions.
The chairman of the task force, state Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, acknowledged that the seafood industry is in a state of crisis.
“It has been called a perfect storm by many,” said Stevens, who’s also president of the Alaska Senate. He noted that harvesters are experiencing truncated and reduced seasons, processors are facing costly expenses for production, labor costs and environmental obligations, and communities are receiving reduced raw fish taxes along with increased costs for providing harbor facilities and support to the industry.
Meanwhile, Stevens said, the industry must maintain high quality product to compete with foreign producers who do not have to meet high production standards.
“All in all, it has been a trying time for an industry in crisis,” he said.
The task force also recommended modernization of current vessels and gear and permit regulations, to support quality improvement and operational efficiency. The proposed changes include expanding Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission staff capacity, modernizing the commission’s digital infrastructure and reviewing limited-entry permit policies along with vessel- and-gear restrictions.
Also recommended was the creation of a Seafood Working Group to study long-term competitiveness of the state’s seafood industry. The group would consist of members of the Alaska Legislature, representatives of ADF&G and other state agencies, industry executives, community leaders and independent subject matter experts.
Lastly, the task force recommended inclusion of a Division of Marine Resources within the proposed Alaska Department of Agriculture with staff, authority and resources to pursue initiatives and projects focused on realizing the full potential of Alaska fisheries and maritime production.
The committee said that success would require “unprecedented” cooperation from multiple stakeholders, including industry, coastal communities, Alaska Native corporations, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers and government. They would need a shared vision to modernize a seafood industry anchored in coastal communities, while competing successfully in global markets.