ANCSA at 52: A legacy of loss and adaptation for Alaska Native communities

What has the divisive Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act created for Alaska's Native Peoples and how does Congress hold accountability? Or do they?

• ICT OPINION

• DEC 18, 2023

Sophie Swope 
Executive Director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition

Fifty-two years ago, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was enacted. This legislation profoundly reshaped the lives of Alaskan Natives, including my own at age 25. The Dec. 18, 1971 legislation meant to usher in a new era of native land settlements from the failed reservation system, instead led to the fragmentation of our ancestral lands and a redefined relationship with them.

Under ANCSA, 11 percent of Alaskan lands were distributed to the native population. Each adult received a 160-acre allotment – a measure that seemed generous but proved insufficient for large families like mine. With enough cousins to populate a small Alaska village, the village where my grandmother called home is no longer a place where I can build my own home or raise my children. Heartbroken as I feel sentimentally tied to the place she once gathered and processed food and encountered her first airplane, hiding between two mud huts in the mid 1900’s.

Beyond displacement, ANCSA transformed our cultural and economic landscape. It entrusted the remaining 11 percent of lands to for-profit Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs). This altered our traditional values centered around mutual care and respect for nature, and became values folded at the mercy of profit-driven native corporations. We find ourselves caught between our roles as Tribal members and corporate shareholders, often forced to prioritize the latter. It’s a confusing world here in Alaska.

While frustrated, I recognize that for profit native corporations undertake the intricate task of harmonizing contemporary business strategies with the preservation of cultural heritage and traditional ways of life. This struggle is evident in my community, where foreign corporate interests often clash with our traditional values and rights.

The strong tribal opposition to projects like the Donlin Gold Mine illustrates this systemic problem. This project is one of the world's largest proposed gold mines, situated on our delicate rainbow smelt and salmon spawning tributaries. Unfortunately, Donlin Gold and our own native corporations are known to finesse unearned trust with promises of development and profit. The corporate pursuit of wealth overshadows our voices and concerns for human health, cultural longevity, and ecological stability.

Questions were raised during the decision-making process about compliance with environmental Law and adequate consultation with tribal communities and stakeholders. Despite these questions, the agencies still issued the first of its kind joint record of decision, permitting the project.

As Alaska Natives, we increasingly feel marginalized by the government's prioritization of profit over the well-being of its people. Our sovereignty and the well-being of our people should be a priority for both state and federal governments. It's imperative that ANCs operate transparently and in the best interests of their shareholders. For this to happen, our governments must ensure our rights to information, participation in decision-making, and most importantly - the respectful treatment of our lands. Our corporations hold unique ownership to lands that support a vital part of our cultural identity with these ties that are not to be viewed as just an economic asset.

The government's role in rectifying issues like those arising from the Donlin Gold permits is crucial. This begins with collaboration and the integration of Indigenous knowledge into policy-making as directed by the Executive office of the President. Elected officials can proactively help both tribes and native corporations by recognizing the unique needs of ANCs and creating supportive policies. If done correctly, we can strategically preserve our rich cultural heritage for the next century of shareholders, without imminent catastrophe on our ever changing Alaskan landscape.

As we mark the 52nd anniversary of ANCSA, it is a time not just for reflection but for action. This act has indelibly marked our community, reshaped our identities and often silenced our voices in the pursuit of profit. Yet, our resilience and dedication to our heritage persist. We advocate for a future where our aboriginal traditions, lands, and rights are not merely acknowledged but revered and protected. We call on our Alaska congressional officials to support our tribes and enforce corporate responsibility with their shareholders, starting with the Donlin Gold permits. With strong nation-to-nation relationships, we can ensure the safety and prosperity of our elders, youth, and future generations for centuries to come.

Anaan’arar Sophie Irene Swope from Bethel, Alaska - is the Executive Director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, and serves as a council member of her tribe the Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council while also serving as the Vice-Mayor for the City of Bethel. With passion for her peoples health and cultural heritage, she is driven to confront the challenges of governing tribal sovereignty created by the for-profit indoctrination of Aboriginal Alaskan lands. 

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Collins, Reed Introduce Bill to Protect Working Waterfronts

PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 13, 2023

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced the Working Waterfront Preservation Act. This bipartisan bill would help preserve access for our nation’s fishermen and maritime workers to the waterfronts in coastal communities, supporting the commercial fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding, and for-hire recreational fishing industries that are so vital to the culture, heritage, and economies of seaside towns and cities.

“The hard working men and women that make up Maine’s maritime industries continue to lose access to the waterfronts that sustain them. Recent demand for coastal property has only intensified the problem both in Maine and across the nation,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would create a grant program to provide funding for municipal and state governments, nonprofit organizations, and participants in maritime industries to preserve and improve working waterfront property in our coastal states.” 

“Working waterfronts provide critical access to the water and are valuable resources that are absolutely critical to our economic future.  Today, our working waterfronts face a growing number of competing pressures, from rising sea levels to surging real estate prices and economic development challenges.  This new federal grant program would provide a lifeline to coastal communities to preserve, protect, and enhance working waterfronts, upgrade infrastructure, and ensure public access to the water,” said Senator Reed.  “Passing this bill would help support and sustain fishermen and other hardworking men and women who make their living on the waterfront.”

"The working waterfront is our gateway to the amazing seafood we harvest here in Maine and around the country. Without it, we lose crucial connectivity within our local food system and significantly reduce the opportunity that seafood represents,” said Ben Martens, Executive Director of the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association. “Thank you Senator Collins for continuing to advocate for Maine's iconic fishing industry and fighting to bring much-needed resources and attention to our working waterfront communities."

Waterfront access is critical to the future of Maine’s lobster industry. You simply can’t make a living from the sea if you aren’t able to get to it,” said Patrice McCarron, President of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. “The Maine Lobsterman’s Association commends Senators Collins and Reed for introducing this bipartisan legislation that would help protect existing working waterfront and preserve access for fishermen and the unique character of our fishing communities.

"The key to maintaining the vibrant character and economic productivity of any American port is adequate support for its working waterfront," said Noah Oppenheim, Coordinator of the Fishing Communities Coalition. "Unfortunately, fishing communities across the country have been struggling to maintain working waterfront access in the face of gentrification, infrastructure issues, sea level rise, and countless additional challenges. This new program will preserve public access to working waterfronts in communities from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico, and Southern California to Western Alaska. The members of the Fishing Communities Coalition express their heartfelt thanks to Senator Collins and Senator Reed for their leadership in introducing this key legislation."

According to the most recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, commercial and recreational fisheries are responsible for more than 1.7 million jobs in the U.S., $253 billion in sales, and $117 billion in value-added impacts.

The Working Waterfront Preservation Act would establish a $20 million grant program to help municipal and state governments, nonprofit organizations, and participants in maritime industries purchase or improve working waterfront property in coastal states. Grants would be administered by the Economic Development Administration, and successful applicants would need to be endorsed by state fisheries agencies. In order to be eligible for a grant, recipients would be required to permanently protect an area as working waterfront.

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Commercial Fishing Goes Electric

BY Benjamin Hayden

Seattle, Washington, a long-standing host of the Pacific Marine Expo, has welcomed the commercial fishing industry for over five decades under one roof. This year, the event took place at Lumen Field, offering a platform for discussions on emerging technologies and equipment on the show floor, alongside informative presentations on industry trends.

In an opening session titled “Commercial Fishing Goes Electric,” Noah Oppenheim, principal and founder of Homarus Strategies, posed a question to the panelists. “Why are we having this conversation, given that diesel has worked so well for this industry for decades?”

The panel was comprised of Sam Waterhouse, of Elliott Bay Design Group, Tom Testaverde, Gloucester captain of F/V Midnight Sun, Linda Behnken, fisher and Executive Director at Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, and Sarah Schumann, fisher and coordinator at Fishery Friendly Climate Action.

Linda Behnken articulated the rationale behind exploring alternative fuel sources, stating, “I think there’s a couple reasons, the first is that the cost of fuel is probably the biggest cost that fishermen are facing every year, and that fuel comes from outside of our communities. She continued, “In Alaska, we are seeing such huge impacts on our fisheries from climate change, we know that emissions are the biggest factor in that. We are seeing major fish stocks crash, and we expect there to be less predictability in the future.”

Sam Waterhouse, providing a shipbuilding perspective, emphasized the importance of helping operators comprehend the range of options available to them for adopting alternative fuel technologies. He listed sought-after characteristics of fishing areas, “We look at: are there areas where they can do electrification?  What fuels are available that makes sense for their vessels, to figure out, what are we doing in the future?”

A unanimous sentiment among the panelists was the necessity for government support in adopting these innovative technologies; they come at a substantial cost. While hybrid boats may not be a universal solution, their viability depends on specific circumstances, including operating practices, fishing methods, diesel costs, and electricity expenses.

Behnken stressed the importance of collaboration with the shipping and transportation industry, particularly in exploring next-generation fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. “We’re still very interested in moving to the next-generation fuel. Our community is looking at both hydrogen and ammonia as a potential fuel for the future.” She emphasized the need for an inclusive and distributed approach that serves small ports along the coasts, not solely major terminals.

“From our perspective, what’s going on with the climate, (ocean) acidification is affecting our fisheries. We expect to see rising costs of fuel, and disruptions in the delivery systems, we want to make sure we’re building resilience into our communities and for our communities to be more and more self-reliant in our fisheries and making sure we can still fish,” Behnken said.

Sarah Schumann discussed the mission of the Fisheries Friendly Climate Campaign “To make sure that our industry is in the driver’s seat of its own energy transition, that means two things. That means, both building our own capacity as an industry to lead on these issues and convincing policymakers to support our leadership and to work with us to co-design a resilient and viable future for the fishing industry in a post-carbon world.”

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Spotlight on: US fishing groups sue tire manufacturers as EPA begins investigation

Seafood Source News

Spotlight on: US fishing groups sue tire manufacturers as EPA begins investigation

Two fishing organizations have filed suit against American tire manufacturers over a chemical linked to salmon deaths.

Manufacturers use 6PPD to prevent tires from degrading too quickly, but research has found that the chemical transforms into 6PPD-quinone when exposed to ground-level ozone. The resultant chemical can kill coho salmon and contribute to urban runoff mortality syndrome.

Environmental group Earthjustice is representing the Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR) and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) in the lawsuit.

“There is simply no excuse, now that the science is clear how toxic 6PPD-q is to fish, for the tire industry to keep using 6PPD,” IFR and PCFFA Executive Director Glen Spain said. “To keep using a chemical not only pushing valuable salmon runs toward extinction but also destroying fishing-dependent jobs up and down the west coast should not be allowed.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it would look into 6PPD-quinone under the Toxic Substances Control Act after granting a petition from Earthjustice filed on behalf of the Yurok, Port Gamble S’Klallam, and Puyallup Tribes.

“This is a victory for salmon and all species and people,” the Puyallup Tribal Council said in a statement. “6PPD is a major and uniquely lethal threat to the health of salmon in urban streams on our reservation.”

Nathan Strout
Associate Editor
nstrout@divcom.com

OPINION: For Alaska, federal fisheries updates can’t come soon enough

OPINION: For Alaska, federal fisheries updates can’t come soon enough

In Anchorage Daily News

By Brooke Woods, Linda Behnken and Nanci Morris Lyon

October 20, 2023

Two salmon species have all but disappeared from Alaska's Yukon River this year, prompting the state to shut down fishing in an effort to save them. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

It was another heartbreaking summer on the Yukon River. Smokehouses and fish camps stood empty, leaving Alaska Native peoples unable to practice ways of life that have been in place for millennia. Community-based commercial fishing operations were shut down and sport and charter fisheries were shuttered or drastically reduced. This long, grim, list of reductions and closures has affected nearly everyone who fishes in Alaska — except the biggest and most wasteful ones.

The Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea trawl fleets have bycaught and largely discarded dead more than 28,570 chinook salmon, 119,859 chum salmon, 3,897,205 pounds of halibut, 7,298,550 pounds of herring and 694,826 crabs so far this year.

Federal fisheries off Alaska are managed via the dictates of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, which has done little to address the trawl fleet’s enormous bycatch of species immeasurably important to Alaskans. This is despite years of requests for positive change from Indigenous peoples, stakeholders, and the public. In particular, bycatch of king and chum is unconscionable, especially since recent years have seen limited or no subsistence salmon fishing in the Yukon and limited harvest on the Kuskokwim. This stark inequity must be addressed.

There is no denying that climate change is driving rapid, dramatic shifts in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska ecosystems. The council’s lack of action means Alaska’s historic fisheries and fishing communities are paying the environmental price of those changes, while the most concrete action on the table — the meaningful reduction of trawl bycatch — is consistently rejected as not “practicable.” Clearly the council system is not serving Alaskans and it’s time to take key issues to a higher authority.

That’s why, this summer, we were gratified to see NOAA Fisheries ask for input on changes that could help fix some of what is broken about this system. Specifically, updating important guidance language for three of 10 national standards that, under the Magnuson Stevens Act, govern federal fisheries and guide decisions made by the council.

Under the status quo, the council is allowed to prioritize short-term economic gains over ecosystem and community needs. It perpetuates inequity and environmental injustice, pushing the burden of conservation from industrial trawlers onto everyday Alaskans. Updated language for these guidelines could turn this around. Thousands of Alaskans and Americans recently weighed in advocating for these changes.

For years now, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council has siphoned off the time and energy of many hundreds of Alaskans for little positive benefit. We sign up to testify at council meetings. We wait for hours — sometimes days — for our turn to speak. When we are finally allotted our three to five minutes, we tell the council our stories: of families who are leaving small remote communities, driven out by the lack of job opportunity, access to fisheries, available affordable food, and ability to practice traditional ways of life. We speak of shuttered traditional, commercial, charter and sport fisheries in the Bering Sea and Western Alaska. We explain how in some locations one ship’s “acceptable” chinook bycatch can wipe out an entire age class of salmon. And we tell the sad stories of elders and loved ones who have passed without one last taste of king salmon, and of families unable to share their first catch.

Instead of acting on these concerns, the council, which contains zero tribal representatives and a voting majority of people with ties to the trawl industry, has largely upheld the status quo.

In recent years, the council has refused to stop “midwater” trawls that are estimated to drag the bottom between 70 and 90% of the time in the Bering Sea during crab molting, including in areas that are closed to crabbers in order to conserve and rebuild the crab population. The council has yet to institute a cap on chum salmon bycatch, meaning trawlers can bycatch and discard an unlimited number of chum — including years chum returns to the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim are devastating, leaving families with no salmon for the long winter.

Overall, the council continues to shift the conservation responsibility from trawlers — which on average each year bycatch and largely discard dead 141 million pounds of marine life — to Alaska families, rural residents, businesses and directed fishermen.

Ultimately, federal fisheries that focus on equity, community, climate adaptivity and sustainability will lead to a more positive outcome for wild salmon, halibut, crab, herring and those of us who care deeply about them. As it now stands, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s management practices are doing little to address the collapse of some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. That isn’t good for anyone, Seattle-based industrial trawlers included. For those of us who live here, it’s devastating.

Change can’t come soon enough.

Brooke Woods is a lifelong traditional fisherman and a resident of Rampart, on the Yukon River. She is the former chair of the Yukon River Intertribal Fish Commission, is a Woodwell Climate Research Center climate adaptation specialist, and is pursuing a degree in fisheries science from the University of Alaska.

Nanci Morris Lyon is the owner of Bear Trail Lodge and a resident of Bristol Bay. She is on the Federal Subsistence Board Regional Advisory Committee and has participated in the Nushagak/Mulchatna king salmon committee for the past four years.

Linda Behnken is the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, a fisherman, and a resident of Sitka. Her work played a key role in getting trawling banned in the federal waters off Southeast Alaska’s shores.

National Sea Grant awards funding for training new Alaska fishermen

By Alaska Sea Grant | October 23, 2023

Alaska Sea Grant and partners were recently awarded over $240,000 from NOAA Sea Grant for a project to train and support new commercial fishermen in Alaska. The two-year project AK On-Board: Young Fishermen Training and Apprenticeship Program will draw upon program strengths from each project partner, including the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, to assist with crew training, apprenticeships, and network-building that will help new crewmembers be successful on the water. 

“Young people are the future of our fishing industry, but the challenges to entry are considerable,” explained Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association Director Linda Behnken. “This funding will allow us to expand and coordinate the existing programs of project partners to offer Alaska’s young fishermen a springboard to success.”

This project, supported by results from an Alaska Sea Grant-led scoping effort, will take a broad approach to fisherman training. The scoping effort identified six priority learning areas for beginning commercial fishermen, and the AK On-Board project will incorporate two areas of need—marine safety and crew skills—while addressing other areas based on local needs. The program will include events in rural communities in the Southeast, Southcentral, Bristol Bay, and Bering Strait regions. 

“All of us on this project have been working to train young fishermen in various ways for a while now,” said Alaska Sea Grant project lead Gabe Dunham. “Between our programs the pieces are there, and this project is going to help us put them together to create a really impactful training program.”

The program will consist of three components: training, apprenticeships, and networking. Participants will receive applied training in crew and deckhand skills, as well as marine safety. This contribution to the program is based on Alaska Sea Grant’s successful Crew Class, a Bristol Bay program entering its fifth year.

Apprenticeships will facilitate professional relationships between new crew and experienced captains to share valuable experience. This model was developed by the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, which has been placing apprentices on fishing vessels since 2015.

The program will also provide networking opportunities, with the goal of creating supportive relationships and cohorts that have the knowledge to successfully engage in the fishery management process. The Alaska Marine Conservation Council will bring expertise from their Young Fishermen’s Network to facilitate the cohesion of young fishing professionals.

“Networking and mentorship in the commercial fishing industry throughout Alaska are highly valued and essential to navigate a successful fishing career,” said Theresa Peterson, Fisheries Policy Director for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council. “This project provides the opportunity to build off long standing support systems for young fishermen in a systematic way.” 

Alaska’s commercial fishing fleet employs over 31,000 people statewide, and needs a pipeline of skilled labor. Alaska resident fishermen are of particular importance to the economies of coastal communities, supporting Alaska families, increasing food security, and supporting local businesses and governments year round.

Funding for this project is part of  the Young Fishermen’s Development Act sponsored by the late Alaska Representative Don Young. More information about Alaska Sea Grant’s support for commercial fishermen in Alaska is available on our website.

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The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association selected by the Department of Energy Vehicle Technology Office for a $700,000 Award to propel energy transition in the commercial fishing fleet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Sitka, October 3, 2023] - The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is thrilled to announce a $700,000 award from the Department of Energy to drive energy transition forward in the commercial fishing fleet. The project, known as ALFA BETA (ALFA Boat Energy Transition Accelerator), aims to pioneer hybrid and full electric propulsion in the small boat fishing and mariculture industries. The ALFA BETA project aligns with ALFA’s mission to address climate change and decarbonize the seafood industry.

With generous support from the Department of Energy, ALFA is poised to play a leading role in revolutionizing energy usage within the small boat commercial fishing sector. The ALFA BETA project will serve as a catalyst for developing and implementing hybrid and full electric propulsion systems, addressing the unique challenges faced by small boat fishing and mariculture operations. By embracing clean and efficient technologies, ALFA aims to reduce the fleet's carbon footprint, safeguard marine ecosystems, and promote a sustainable future for Alaska's seafood industry.

"We are honored to receive this award from the Department of Energy," said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of ALFA. "This project will allow us to pilot test hybrid and full electric propulsion in small boat fishing and mariculture operations. We will build on our work with the National Renewable Energy Labs to transition our fishing fleet toward clean energy, mitigate climate change, and ensure the long-term viability of Alaska's small boat fisheries."

The ALFA BETA project will not only contribute to decarbonization but also offer economic benefits to fishermen and mariculturists. The adoption of advanced propulsion technologies will reduce operational costs and increase fleet performance. Additionally, ALFA will collaborate with local businesses and academic institutions to create new jobs and promote technological innovation within Alaska's maritime sector.

“The ALFA BETA project embodies ALFA's commitment to decarbonizing the seafood industry and building resilience into Alaska’s small boat fishing fleet and fishing communities,” said Chandler Kemp, Technical Director for the ALFA BETA project. “By leveraging this financial support from the Department of Energy, ALFA will bring together fishermen, mariculturists, and experts in energy transition to develop cutting-edge solutions that accelerate the maritime sector's path towards a greener future.”

For more information about ALFA or the ALFA BETA project, please contact Linda Behnken at alfafishak@gmail.com or Chandler Kemp at ckemp@kempyenergetics.com.

About Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA): The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is a non-profit organization of community-based commercial fishermen dedicated to sustainable fisheries and vibrant fishing communities. On the web at: alfafish.org

Press Contact: Linda Behnken, Executive Director, ALFA 

907-738-3615 or alfafishak@gmail.com

As climate change and high costs plague Alaska’s fisheries, fewer young people take up the trade

See article on Associated Press

BY JOSHUA A. BICKEL

September 26, 2023

KODIAK, Alaska (AP) — Lane Bolich first came to work in Alaska for the freedom and excitement that comes with being a fisher.

A self-described adrenaline junkie, Bolich moved from his hometown in rural Washington state because he loves being on the ocean even in cold winter weather and it gave him the chance to make more money than back home. After working as a deckhand for two years on a family friend’s boat, Harmony, he took the wheel as captain this year at just 20 years old.

Bolich is a rarity in an aging industry with high barriers to entry — equipment and access rights are costly — and increasing unpredictability as human-caused climate change alters marine habitats. As some fish populations dwindle and fewer people pursue the trade, fishers and conservation groups are actively working to bring in and retain the next generation of fishers through grants and training even as the industry continues to shrink in Alaska.

For the young people who do become commercial fishers, many see it as a way to make good money for a short time, while some others have a desire to sustain the industry for the long term in a way that benefits both fishers and fisheries. But with the obstacles outweighing the perks, young fishers are in short supply.

“There’s no future for an industry that doesn’t have young people coming in,” said Linda Behnken, the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “They’re thinking about the long term health of the resource, the health of the industry and the fishing communities that they’re a part of.”

A 2018 study found the average age of fishers had increased 10 years from the previous generation to about 50 years old. Rural communities also lost 30% of their local permit holders as access rights consolidated and made it harder for new fishers to enter the industry.

But the biggest challenge, Behnken said, is climate change and what it means for the long-term health of the fishing stock and the industry. Research has shown that warming ocean temperatures may make fish habitats less suitable, leading to changing populations and different ecosystems, and the potential loss of commercially-important fish species.

“I think people recognize the future is less predictable in fisheries, that we’re going to see bigger fluctuations,” she said. “There’s just a lot more unknowns.”

These challenges are apparent to Bolich. He said working as a commercial fisher today means working to undo the damage to fisheries from harmful practices in the past like overfishing and understanding the impact climate change will have on fish populations.

“I think that the golden days of fishing are kind of behind us,” he said. “Now it’s kind of a recovery of trying to bring the fish back and trying to keep this viable way of making a living.”

Marissa Wilson, executive director of the Alaska Marine Conservation Council, noted that the decline in the number of people working coincides with the shrinking of fisheries in general as populations of fish decline and move. The high initial cost of access rights and equipment has also deterred some people from pursuing commercial fishing.

“It’s a handful of things coming into confluence at once that makes it difficult,” she said.

The Alaska Marine Conservation Council and the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association actively lobbied Congress for passage of the Young Fishermen’s Development Act, which passed in January 2021. As part of that act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Grant Office awarded about $1 million this year to help fund on-ship training and mentorship for young fishers in Alaska.

More training should help as finding reliable crew for boats is difficult, according to Darren Platt, captain of the Agnes Sabine, a salmon fishing boat based in Kodiak. When Platt started running his own boat in 2010, unemployment was high and labor was easier to find, but as jobs have become more available in the lower 48, Platt has noticed fewer people making their way to Kodiak to work. That loss of labor, combined with a lack of experienced career fishers, makes fully staffing a boat a challenge.

“We need to continuously bring in people from outside to come up and work,” he said. “And it’s usually college students or young folks looking for an adventure, but not career fisherman.”

For Juan Zuniga, a first-year deckhand on Platt’s boat, that sense of adventure and the prospect of making good money drew him to Kodiak from his home in Florida. Platt’s been teaching Zuniga everything he knows about working on a boat.

“This is a pretty far place from where I live so a very big step out of my comfort zone,” Zuniga said. “I still got a lot to learn.”

Retaining deckhands is key for Platt and he says he focuses on keeping crew members as comfortable as possible so that they might return again to work the following season.

For many though, contract work on a boat is a quick way to make money and gain experience for a different career. Sam Stern, a deckhand on the Big Blue, plans to pursue a career in marine engineering and worked this season to both make money for school and to earn hours at sea for eventual licensing he’ll need for that job.

“I guess people my age don’t really think about this as like a career,” Stern said, adding that he can make up to $20,000 in a single summer. “It is more of a way just to make money quickly.”

But fishing has become more than that for Bolich.

On the Harmony, Bolich is running between the deck and the cabin, grabbing power tools and fixing equipment before heading back out to sea to supply fishing boats and haul their catch back for processing. As captain, he has to know every aspect of every job and be able lead a crew older than himself. He admits his first year will be a learning experience, but he isn’t deterred.

He hopes to pass on what he’s learned to the generation after him, so Alaska’s fishing industry can live on.

“I want them to see a future in it,” he said. “Not just a dead end job.”

Follow Joshua A. Bickel on X, formerly known as Twitter: @joshuabickel

Senator Murkowski urges President Biden to significantly change U.S. policy toward Canadian mining and “critical” minerals until protections established for threatened wild salmon rivers

Alaska’s senior senator’s letter elevates requests made by Southeast Alaska Tribes, municipalities, fishermen and the public directly to the President

 CONTACTS

Breanna Walker, Director, Salmon Beyond Borders, breanna@salmonstate.org, 218-244-2723

Linda Behnken, Executive Director, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, alfafishak@gmail.com, 907-738-3615

Amy Daugherty, Executive Director, Alaska Trollers Association, alaskatrollers@gmail.com, 907-723-2244

 September 26, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 JUNEAU, ALASKA — Salmon Beyond Borders, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and Alaska Trollers Association commend Senator Lisa Murkowski for urging President Joe Biden to deny U.S. subsidies to Canadian mining operations until long-standing, existential Canadian mining threats to rivers flowing into Alaska are adequately addressed. In a letter to President Biden dated Sept. 15 and only now made public, Senator Murkowski urges President Biden: “not to allocate any U.S. funding to Canadian projects in the transboundary watershed in general, and to withhold all U.S. support for [mining] projects within Canada until… conditions are met.”

 The request, if heeded by the Biden Administration, would amount to a significant change to articulated U.S. critical minerals strategy in an attempt to address the fact that at least 30 abandoned, exploratory, proposed, developing, and operating B.C. gold-copper mines already pollute and/or threaten to further contaminate the Taku, Stikine-Iskut, Unuk, and Nass rivers, as well as the transboundary Portland Canal, with acid mine drainage, selenium, and other toxicants.

 “The United States should be fighting, not funding, the destruction of our wild salmon rivers, which are biodiversity hotspots and natural climate solutions,” said Breanna Walker, Salmon Beyond Borders director. “British Columbia, Canada’s push to build gold mines along our transboundary rivers without our consent poses a looming threat to all of us downstream. We offer our heartfelt appreciation to Senator Murkowski for ensuring that President Biden knows it and we urge the President to listen to Senator Murkowski,  Tribes,  municipalities,  Representative Mary Peltola, Alaska State legislators,  and thousands of concerned citizens, and  establish a binding, international framework through which Tribes, municipalities, fishermen and others can ensure a sustainable future.”

 “Alaska has a deep commitment to maintaining healthy fish habitat,” said Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “But our hands are tied when the habitat threat is outside our boundaries. We deeply appreciate Senator Murkowski and Representative Peltola’s advocacy for our fish and fisheries and we urge President Biden to listen to those calling for strong enforceable international protection for this valuable, sustainable resource.”

 “Clean, cold, clear, connected freshwater habitat is essential to the health of wild salmon anywhere they’re found,” said Alaska Trollers Association Executive Director Amy Daughterty. “The Alaska Trollers Association thanks Senator Murkowski for urging President Biden to stand behind our, Representative Mary Peltola, and others’ requests that we ensure a healthy, sustainable, wild-salmon-rich future for the Taku, Stikine and Unuk — some of the most pristine wild salmon rivers left on the planet.” 

Senator Murkowski’s two conditions are, first, that Canada immediately clean up its abandoned Tulsequah Chief mine, which has been polluting the transboundary Taku River near Juneau for more than 65 years. Second, “The U.S. must support the request of Alaska Tribes, municipalities, business owners, and residents to establish a robust international framework that strengthens governance while preventing and resolving disputes over the use of shared waters,” Murkowski wrote. “The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 and the International Joint Commission offer both authorities and mechanisms that can be used for a binding bilateral agreement, which should include best practices as well as clear requirements for financial assurances and liability.”

 Almost two dozen Southeast Alaska Tribes and municipalities, as well as Tribes and First Nations across the Pacific Northwest, have passed resolutions and sent letters urging President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to demand a temporary pause on new mining activity and a permanent ban on B.C.’s failure-prone mine waste dams in transboundary systems. Fishing organizations, businesses, and thousands of individual citizens have made the same requests.

 Read a press release about the letter from the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

 Representative Mary Peltola announced her support for an International Watershed Board in April.

 Find additional information and images available for media use.

For b-roll and further visual resources for the transboundary region, please contact mc@salmonstate.org.

 Salmon Beyond Borders is an Alaska-based campaign working with fishermen, business owners, community leaders, and concerned citizens, alongside Tribes and First Nations on both sides of the Alaska-B.C. border, to defend and sustain our transboundary wild salmon rivers, jobs, and way of life.

 Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association is an alliance of small boat commercial fishermen committed to sustainable fisheries and thriving coastal communities.

 Alaska Trollers Association works to promote and protect the Alaska troll fishery and to support sound management and conservation.

ADN: OPINION: Alaska’s Farm Bill promises to safeguard our oceans and fishing families

Anchorage Daily News

OPINION: Alaska’s Farm Bill promises to safeguard our oceans and fishing families

By Linda Behnken

9.14.2023

I first came to Sitka in 1982, driven by a love for wildness. I took up fishing to earn college money, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that the well-being of Alaska’s wild, pristine environment is directly tied to the stewardship of local fishing communities.

My passion for Alaska’s oceans led me to become an advocate for sustainable fisheries. I still earn my living fishing, and I am now the executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. My family’s livelihood, and that of others in our fishing community, is entwined with the long-term health of our oceans. We fish and live with deep respect for the natural world and our unique place on this earth.

It is with this connection to our state’s natural bounty and coastal families that I applaud Sen. Lisa Murkowski for introducing the Improving Agriculture, Research, Cultivation, Timber, and Indigenous Commodities (ARCTIC) Act for inclusion in the Farm Bill, to ensure Alaska is represented in this pivotal federal legislation. This bill is a win for local fishing communities, which is a win for Alaska’s environment.

The Improving ARCTIC Act enhances food sovereignty and housing security in rural areas; bolsters Tribal self-determination; establishes stronger safeguards against oil spills in the Arctic; and protects our marine ecosystems from floating factory fish farms. It also allocates major resources for local and regional supply chains, fortifying the fishing industry that is the lifeblood of our state.

Alaskans rely on robust fisheries for subsistence, jobs, and our way of life. Yet, in addition to warming waters and shifting fish populations, our fishing communities must contend with the ever-present threat of corporate exploitation of Alaska’s water, land, and people.

Many Alaskans are familiar with the staggering bycatch of salmon, halibut, crab, sablefish and other fish species taken by the industrial trawl fleet: approximately 141 million pounds caught, killed, and mostly discarded each year for the past decade. While fishing communities struggle to address this travesty, many are also working to stop agribusiness giants from imposing industrial fish farming on U.S. federal waters, including those off Alaska’s coasts. These massive operations threaten ocean ecosystems and the wild fish populations that sustain our coastal communities.

Responsible mariculture that is community-based and appropriately scaled can and should be an integral part of local food systems. Alaska has tremendous opportunities for sustainable and community-led mariculture. But we must not allow a few corporations to steer the ship with disregard for the health of our communities and the planet.

The Improving ARCTIC Act prevents the federal government from allowing industrial-scale, offshore fish farms in federal waters. Alaska has already protected state waters by banning fish farms within three miles, but at just 3.1 miles, waters shift to federal jurisdiction. We need the robust provisions included in the Improving ARCTIC Act to ensure states such as Alaska, which has wisely protected wild fish populations, aren’t subject to the havoc of factory fish farms.

Moreover, Murkowski’s legislation sharpens the USDA’s vision when it comes to seafood, expanding federal assistance for commercial fishermen and processors, and requiring the labeling of genetically engineered fish (aka “frankenfish”) to help consumers make informed decisions. For too long, seafood has been on the sidelines of the USDA’s Farm Bill, but the Improving Arctic Act reminds decision-makers that investments in America’s fishing communities are investments in our nation’s food security, cultural heritage, and ocean stewardship.

Alaskans care deeply about seafood. In recognizing the challenges facing our fisheries and taking proactive steps to address them, Murkowski has demonstrated her commitment to Alaska’s people and place.

Linda Behnken lives in Sitka and divides her time between catching fish and advocating for healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries.