ALASKA REGION
The Alaska Region encompasses an area with over half the U.S.
maritime coastline. Harvest levels of over 4 billion pounds in 2001 and comparable
total projections for 2002 continue to place Alaska in the top ten of world seafood
producers. Alaskan waters support the largest U.S. fishery resource with a combined
seafood harvest of almost half the total U.S. production. Within the state, the
seafood industry is the largest private-sector employer, creating one-fifth of
all Alaska jobs. In addition to commercial harvest, the charter and recreational
fishery in Alaska continues to expand and gain prominence as a significant contributor
to the state's economy. In coastal Alaska and interior river communities, residents
depend heavily on the subsistence salmon fishery. Economic activities related
to Alaska's marine resources have a substantial impact on the state's dispersed
population. The dominance of fishery-related employment in the state and the dependency
of fishing in the subsistence economies of rural Alaska create considerable demands
on the resource management process.The high levels of Alaska seafood exports,
the state's geographic proximity to foreign countries, and the presence of foreign
vessels outside its waters, present an international scope to many of the Alaska
Region's fishery management issues. The fish stocks in Alaska waters are healthy,
robust, and one of the greatest national resources. There are many challenges
ahead for fisheries management and the Alaska seafood industry. Projects conducted
under these grants lead to a better knowledge of the fish stocks and help to develop
fisheries management regimes that will ensure the future vitality of this region's
marine resource. Detailed Information on fiscal years 2001 and 2002 federally
funded projects is available from:
National Marine Fisheries Service
Alaska Region
P.O. Box 21668
Juneau, Alaska 99802-1668
James W. Balsiger, Regional Administrator
Barbara A. Fosburg, Program Officer
Shawn P. Carey, Program Officer
Telephone (907) 586-7273
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ALASKA REGION GRANT ACTIVITIES
In fiscal year (FY) 2001, the Alaska Region received $368,495 for use under the
Anadromous Fish Conservation Act (AFC). The Region apportioned $338,495 of this
amount to the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and $30,000 to the University of Washington's
Fisheries Research Institute. The Alaska Region received $150,432 for use under
the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act (IFA) and apportioned all of it to ADF&G.
In FY 2002, the Alaska Region received $365,110 for use under the AFC. The Region
apportioned $335,110 of this amount to ADF&G, and $30,000 to the University
of Washington's Fisheries Research Institute. The Region received $151,176 for
use under the IFA and appointed all of this to the ADF&G. The 2001 and 2002
funds supported research projects directed at management of Alaska's salmon and
groundfish fisheries.
The AFC projects included studies on sockeye, pink, chum, coho, and chinook salmon
in Southeast Alaska and on sockeye salmon at Chignik, Alaska. Results of these
anadromous fish studies continue to support a wide range of state, national, and
international fisheries management policies. The past two years have seen dismal
sockeye runs in the Bristol Bay Area. There has continued to be a complete run
collapse in the chum and chinook salmon fisheries in the Yukon River. These events,
occurring with otherwise healthy stocks, serve to highlight the value of the research
investment in the AFC program in Alaska.
Funds provided by the IFA support management of fisheries for stocks of groundfish
in the eastern Gulf of Alaska and the internal marine waters of Southeast Alaska.
These stocks migrate between Canadian and U.S. waters and between State of Alaska
waters and the U.S. EEZ off Alaska.
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ANADROMOUS
FISH CONSERVATION ACT PROJECTS
Project Description:
Southeast Alaska salmon
studies
Project and Award Numbers: 5-AFC-79 (NA06FA0063)
Purpose: This study continued four projects on Southeast Alaska
salmon: (1) Pink and Chum Salmon Stock Evaluation Program; (2) Southeast Alaska
Coho Salmon Research; (3) Salmon Catch Sampling Project; and (4) Troll Fishery
Management Methods Research. Project personnel collect, analyze, and report on
stock and fishery assessment data needed to manage salmon stocks in the Southeast
Alaska and Yakutat area on a sustained yield, if not maximum sustained yield,
basis.
Contact: Mr. Andy McGregor
Agency: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Status: 3 year project
Fiscal Year Initiated: 2000
Federal Costs: FY 2001 - $338,495; FY 2002 - $335,110; Total for Project - $1,010,615
State Costs: FY 2001 - $338,495; FY 2002 - $335,110; Total for Project - $1,010,615
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Project Description: Chignik
sockeye studies
Award Number: 5-AFC-82 (NA96FA0119)
Purpose: This project assists the continuing research on sockeye
salmon in the Chignik Lakes system of Alaska. The University of Washington's
Fisheries Research Institute has maintained a research presence in this region
of Alaska since the mid-1950. The Chignik Lake systems are world class salmon
spawning habitat. In recent years, grant funding has covered the basic monitoring
program of the sockeye salmon in this lake system. The Chignik study includes
the annual measurements of: 1) the abundance and size (growth) of Juvenile sockeye
salmon; 2) the relative abundance and size of potential competitor and predator
species; and 3) the biological and physical environment for sockeye in the lakes.
The results of this data form an ongoing data base to evaluate changes in the
production of adult sockeye salmon from Chignik Lakes.
Contact: Dr. Ray W. Hilborn
Agency: University of Washington, Fisheries Research Institute
Status: 1 year project
Fiscal Year Initiated: 2001
Federal Costs: FY 2001 - $30,000; Total for Project - $30,000
University Costs: FY 2001 - $30,000; Total for Project - $30,000
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Project Description: Chignik
sockeye studies
Award Number: NA16FA2648
Purpose: This project assists the continuing research on sockeye
salmon in the Chignik Lakes system of Alaska. The University of Washington's
Fisheries Research Institute has maintained a research presence in this region
of Alaska since the mid-1950. The Chignik Lake systems are world class salmon
spawning habitat. In recent years, grant funding has covered the basic monitoring
program of the sockeye salmon in this lake system. The Chignik study includes
the annual measurements of: 1) the abundance and size (growth) of Juvenile sockeye
salmon; 2) the relative abundance and size of potential competitor and predator
species; and 3) the biological and physical environment for sockeye in the lakes.
The results of this data form an ongoing data base to evaluate changes in the
production of adult sockeye salmon from Chignik Lakes.
Contact: Dr. Ray W. Hilborn
Agency: University of Washington, Fisheries Research Institute
Status: 1 year project
Fiscal Year Initiated: 2002
Federal Costs: FY 2002 - $30,000; Total for Project - $30,000
University Costs: FY 2002 - $30,000; Total for Project - $30,000
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
INTERJURISDICTIONAL FISHERIES ACT
Project Description:
Southeast Alaska groundfish management and research
Project and Award Numbers: 5-IJ-4 (NA06FI0074)
Purpose: This project supports management by the ADF&G for
groundfish fisheries in the eastern Gulf of Alaska and in internal waters of Southeast
Alaska. The primary fisheries under State authority are the sablefish, rockfish,
and lingcod in State waters as well as rockfish and lingcod in adjacent offshore
waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. The
Department also functions as the primary data gathering agency for shore-based
fisheries in both zones and cooperates with the NMFS for management of other groundfish
fisheries in the eastern Gulf of Alaska.
The specific tasks of these projects are: 1) determine domestic groundfish landings
in the State-managed fisheries in the east Gulf of Alaska by species, management
area, month, and gear type; 2) collect biological data on key species including
length, weight, sex, maturity, and body parts or tissue as needed for age determination
and genetics work; 3) continue the longline, dinglebar troll, and trawl logbook
programs and update and improve methods of data entry and analysis; 4) conduct
resource assessment surveys for sablefish, rockfish, and lingcod in the southeastern
and east Yakutat areas; and 5) implement closures for fisheries in state waters
and for state-managed fisheries in federal waters as needed for resource conservation
or when annual harvest objectives have been reached.
Contact: Mr. Douglas A. Woodby
Agency: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Status: 3 year project
Fiscal Year Initiated: 2000
Federal Costs: FY 2001 - $149,532; FY 2002 - $149,292; Total for Project - $450,000
State Costs: FY
2001 - $49,844; FY 2002 - $49,764; Total for Project - $150,000
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