University Initiative Seeks to Assist Salmon Industry

Submitted by Carla Browning
Phone: (907) 474-7778
10/14/02

"Options for Restructuring Alaska’s Salmon Industry," a two-day workshop scheduled for late October is part of a new University of Alaska and Washington Sea Grant initiative to address the salmon crisis felt across Alaska’s coastal communities.

"The University of Alaska can and should help illuminate public policy discussions about Alaska’s economy," said UA President, Mark Hamilton. "The University can help work toward our common goals of a healthy salmon industry and wise use of our salmon resources."

Three statewide workshops will take place during the year to address restructuring, marketing and quality, and the overall health of the resource. In addition, a number of regional workshops will be held by request in smaller communities in the state. A website will highlight the workshop outcomes and other university publications and research useful to the salmon industry.

"Our intent is to augment other efforts around the state, by the Salmon Legislative Task Force, the United Fishermen of Alaska, various fishermen’s associations, and hundreds of individuals," said Gunnar Knapp, economics professor at the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage. "We feel that the University’s role in the salmon crisis is to bring in as much new information as we can to those determining changes in the industry."

University departments involved in the effort include the Marine Advisory Program, the Fishery Industrial and Technology Center, the Fisheries program in the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and the College of Rural Alaska, all part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Institute of Social and Economic Research at UAA and Washington Sea Grant.

"Options for Restructuring the Alaska Salmon Industry" is scheduled for October 28 and 29 in Anchorage at the UAA Commons, room 106. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Paula Cullenberg at (907) 274-9691 x112
anpjc@uaa.alaska.edu or
Gunnar Knapp at (907) 786-7717
afgpk@uaa.alaska.edu