Alaska Progress Report

Alaska rated highly in managing water resources

The Natural Resources Defense Council looks at efforts by states to prepare for the impact of climate change on water resources: "Alaska is among a handful of states that have developed a good plan, but recent changes have slowed progress on preparing for climate change."

In their specific analysis of Alaska: "The impacts of a warming world can already be seen across Alaska in the form of melting glaciers, earlier snowmelt, loss of sea ice, and thawing permafrost. These impacts and future changes will have wide-ranging implications for the state’s human and natural systems. Alaska has done much of the initial groundwork to develop a state climate change strategy that focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as adapting to inevitable climate change impacts, by establishing the Climate Change Sub-Cabinet. However, recent changes in the executive administration have delayed the state’s progress on the completion of a unified strategy. The Climate Change Sub-Cabinet should forge ahead and complete and implement a climate change strategy for Alaska that contains measures to reduce statewide greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate impacts."

2012 Alaska salmon forecast lower

The Alaska Department of Fun & Games Fish & Game has released its 2012 salmon forecast, summarized by the Anchorage Daily News: "The total catch forecast by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is 132 million salmon, down 25 percent from the 177 million fish taken in 2011.

"The statewide breakdown is 120,000 king salmon (in areas outside Southeast, where catches are dictated by treaty with Canada); 38.4 million sockeye salmon, a decline of 4 percent; 4.3 million coho (similar to last year); 19 million chums, 12 percent higher; and 70.2 million pinks, a 40 percent decrease.

"Each year's annual report on salmon harvest projections also includes a detailed review of the 2011 season for every Alaska region. In all, the fishery produced a catch valued at $603 million at the docks, the third-highest ever."

Alaska lands more than half of nation's seafood

From the November 2011 Alaska Economic Trends: "Alaska produces a massive amount of seafood each year. The most recent data from the National Marine Fisheries Service show that in 2010, 53 percent of domestic harvested poundage came from Alaska — 4.35 billion pounds of product worth $1.6 billion. Dutch Harbor/Unalaska led the nation that year for pounds harvested, and in dollar value was second only to New Bedford, Mass.

"Harvesting employment was distributed among the following fisheries in 2010: salmon (50.2 percent), halibut (20.1 percent), groundfish (8.1 percent), sablefish (7.4 percent), crab (5.4 percent), herring (4.9 percent), and miscellaneous shellfish (3.9 percent). Average monthly fish harvesting employment has declined nearly every year since 2005 and in 2010, hit its lowest level since the data series was created. In 2010, there were 6,915 harvesters working each month on average, a decline of 2.4 percent from the previous year and down 7.6 percent from 2005."

Value of Alaska's fisheries underestimated, claims UFA

The United Fishermen of Alaska believes that the total value of Alaska's fisheries are routinely underestimated, and they have published a series of fact sheets to correct the record. According to UFA president Arni Thomson:

“The most commonly quoted number to gauge fishery economics, is ex-vessel value, the price paid to fishermen at the docks prior to the finfish and shellfish being processed. Quite often this value represents only fifty percent of the product value after it is processed, boxed and frozen. The value added processing (manufacturing) function then results in “the first wholesale value”, which approximates the export value of the product. At this point, it does not include the value of additional jobs and income for transportation, distribution, and wholesale and retail sales and restaurant sales. Alaska’s seafood exports are valued at $2.35 billion in 2010. This is important to all Alaskans in terms of tax revenue contributions. In fiscal year 2009, the industry contributed $79 million in state taxes and fees in addition to local fish taxes”

Alaska salmon harvest 3rd most valuable since 1975

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports on the 2011 Alaska commercial salmon harvest: "At $603 million, the 2011 harvest currently ranks as the third most valuable harvest since 1975, behind the 1988 and 2010 harvests respectively. Analysts expect the 2011 harvest will surpass the 2010 harvest in value, after final price per pound information is received next spring from processors, buyers, and direct marketers.

"While the 176 million salmon harvested in 2011—ninth largest since 1960—fell short of the 203 million predicted, high prices for all species, especially pink and chum salmon, pushed the value of the harvest to an extraordinary level. The pink salmon harvest, valued at over $170 million, set an all time record; chum salmon fetched $93 million, the third highest value ever recorded; sockeye salmon were worth almost $296 million, a respectable sixth place among historic sockeye harvests. Chinook and coho harvests, at $20 and $23 million, fell more toward the middle of their historic ranges.

"Regionally, Southeast Alaska took first place with the most valuable salmon harvest in the state, worth over $203 million: $92 million from pink salmon and $65 million from chum salmon. Bristol Bay, usually the most valuable salmon fishery in the state, came in second with a harvest worth $137 million, and Prince William Sound took third with a harvest worth $101 million, mostly from pink and sockeye salmon. Chignik and Cook Inlet also had unusually valuable fisheries, resulting from strong sockeye returns to those areas."

Alaska top seafood producer for 22nd consecutive year

Don't take our word for it: the gub-mint says so, in the form of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual Fisheries of the United States 2011: "...for the 22nd consecutive year, the Alaska port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska led the nation with the highest amount of fish landed, primarily pollock. For the 11th consecutive year New Bedford, Mass. had the highest valued catch, due in large part to the sea scallop fishery.

"Last year, commercial fishermen unloaded 515.2 million pounds of fish and shellfish in Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, an increase of nearly 10 million pounds over 2009 and a rise in the dockside value of $3.4 million to $163 million. Alaska claims three of the top 10 ports for landings volume and six of the top 10 ports for landings value. More than half of the seafood Americans eat from U.S. waters is caught in Alaska."

Kodiak and Cordova rank 5th and 8th respectively in pounds of fish landed, while six Alaska ports place in the top ten in value of fish landed. Interestingly U.S. per capita consumption of seafood has been essentially flat since 2005, and canned salmon consumption has decreased by 50 percent.

The seafood industry in Alaska's economy 2011

From a new report prepared by Northern Economics for the Marine Conservation Alliance:

• Alaska led all states in terms of both volume and ex-vessel value of commercial fisheries landings in 2009, with a total of 1.84 million metric tons (MT) worth 1.3 billion dollars.
• National harvest volume in 2009 was 3,568,599 MT.
• In the list of top 50 U.S. ports based on volume for -2009, Alaska had 11 including Dutch Harbor-Unalaska (1st); Kodiak (4th); Naknek-King Salmon (11th); Sitka (14th); Ketchikan (15th); Petersburg (18th); Cordova (21st); Seward (26th); Homer (36); Juneau (41st); Kenai (50th).
• In the list of top 50 U.S. ports based on ex-vessel value for 2009, Alaska had 10; 8 of them were in the top 20. These ports include Dutch Harbor-Unalaska (2nd); Kodiak (3rd); Naknek-King Salmon (4th); Sitka (5th); Homer (12th); Seward (17th); Ketchikan (18th); Cordova (19th). Three other Alaska ports, Akutan, King Cove and Sand Point, would also make the top 20 were it not for confidentiality requirements that prevent release of data for ports with fewer than three processors.
• In 2009, Dutch Harbor-Unalaska was the leading U.S. port in quantity of commercial fishery landings, and the second U.S. port in value of commercial fishery landings.
• Dutch Harbor-Unalaska ranked second (after New Bedford, MA) with a harvest value of $159.7 million dollars; Kodiak was ranked third at $103.8 million, and Naknek-King Salmon ranked fourth at $76.1 million dollars.
• The seafood industry, through direct, indirect and induced effects, contributed a total of $4.6 billion to Alaska's economic output in 2009.

See the full report for bullet-nirvana.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council 2009 Status Report

Twenty years after the Exxon Valdez disaster the aftershocks still reverberate, both in the natural environment and in the communities where lives were forever altered by the event. The organization created to promote restoration and research in Prince William Sound has released a report that avoids painting with a broad brush and instead tries to portray many shades of gray:

"Over the last 20 years, we have made significant progress in restoration of areas impacted by the spill: permanently protecting crucial habitat; increasing our knowledge of the marine ecosystem; and developing new tools for better management of these vital resources. Visitors to Prince William Sound and the North Gulf Coast of Alaska today again experience spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife and see little evidence of the spill. Yet the area has not fully recovered.  In some areas, Exxon Valdez oil still remains and is toxic. Some injured species have yet to recover to pre-spill levels. This long-term damage was not expected at the time of the spill and was only just starting to be recognized in 1999, at the 10th Anniversary. 

"At that time, the majority of species injured by the spill were still struggling with low numbers, such as the depressed herring populations, but it was expected that the ecosystem would recover naturally over time. Now, in 2009, as we reach the end of the second decade, many of these areas and species of concern remain. As we learn more, the picture of recovery is more complicated than was first appreciated."

Risk of Vessel Accidents and Spills in the Aleutian Islands

A new report from the National Academies Press presents a risk assessment of spills in the Aleutian Islands. NAP reports cost an arm and a leg to buy, but are often available to read for free online. This report "...provides guidance for a comprehensive risk assessment of vessel accidents and spills in the Aleutian Islands. The report examines data related to the risk of oil, chemical, and other hazardous cargo spills from vessel traffic through the Aleutian Islands and identifies key information needed to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment."

Every year more than 4,500 large commercia vessels Unimak Pass in the Aleutians. In 2004 one of these was the Selendang Ayu, which grounded and broke up. In addition to six deaths caused when a rescue helicopter crashed, the incident resulted in the spill of 336,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil. The NAP report was funded through the court settlement, and in a shocking conclusion the authors recommend... more reports! Specifically an even more detailed risk assessment.

Throwing a bone to those of us living in the real world, the report does contain some recommended "interim actions" including enhanced tracking of vessels in the Aleutians and giving serous consideration to positioning a rescue tug in the area.

The Seafood Industry in Alaska's Economy

The gnomes at Northern Economics have been busy, in this case preparing a report on The Seafood Industry in Alaska's Economy for a constellation of fishing industry groups: the Marine Conservation Alliance, the At-Sea Processors Association and the Pacific Seafood Processors Association. And just in time for consideration by incoming lawmakers. Coincidence? I think not. The 93-page report is nothing if not comprehensive, starting with the history of fishing in Alaska, expanding to today's national and international context, and finally drilling down to the economic impact. From the executive summary:

"As a major player in global markets, Alaska’s seafood industry is an economic engine for the state and the nation. If Alaska were an independent country, it would rank in the top 10 of seafood producing nations. On the national scale, Alaska produces over half the United States’ seafood landings. Alaska has 8 of the 20 largest seafood ports nationally (based on ex-vessel value of product): Unalaska/Dutch Harbor (2nd); Kodiak (3rd); Naknek-King Salmon (7th); Seward (9th); Sitka (10th) Cordova (11th), Homer (13th); and Petersburg (16th). Additionally, Unalaska/Dutch Harbor has been one of the nation’s highest volume seafood ports for years. Within Alaska, the industry is the largest private sector employer, and provides jobs and revenues to communities throughout the state."