Southwest Alaska Fisheries Resource Allocation: A 30 Year Analysis

What does the fisheries landscape look like in Southwest Alaska, based on the past few decades of activity? Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to adequately answer such a complex question. However, through information provided by ADF&G's Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, we have compiled 30 years of resource allocation data to help give an understanding of the period. Aggregate data on each sub-region of Southwest Alaska has been analyzed for various resource access categories, along with the entire region as a whole. The document is quite large, so we have included links in the Table of Contents that take you to each sub-region, and each header takes you back to the ToC. Please examine the document and share your thoughts with us.  

Comments can be emailed to SWAMC. 

SWAMC is partnering with the Institute of the North to help coordinate a leadership event aimed at identifying young, active, informed and interested future leaders of Alaska. The Lead: Bristol Bay event is building on the ongoing Emerging Leadership Dialogue, which aims to incorporate a leadership event for each region of the State. One such meeting took place in Kodiak last fall, and now it's time to hear from Bristol Bay (we hope to include the Aleutians soon too).   

The events are framed such that the crowd leads the conversation, with the framework guiding the discussion towards identifying goals, opportunities and challenges.  This is intended to be a fun and interactive networking opportunity for individuals and groups capable of leading our State forward. So, if you are an up-and-coming leader from the Bristol Bay Region, please come visit us on Facebook. To participate please visit:  

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197939576914239 

At the June 2009 NPFMC  meeting, Council staff presented an analysis entitled Leasing Practices in North Pacific Fisheries.  The analysis is based on the mandatory crab rationalization program Economic Data Reports (EDRs) to evaluate how quota share (QS) leasing provisions have impacted crew men. Four areas investigated were: 1) Crew Share as a % of Gross Vessel Earnings, 2) Royalty Payments for Ownership Rents, 3) Crew Pay Per Day, and 4) Average Crew Pay Per Vessel.

Via teleconference, SWAMC recently attended two days of meetings to outline a more equitable distribution of rents from the BSAI crab fishery. The crab workshops covered federal and private financing options, plus input from brokers and the federal Restricted Access Management (RAM) Division, which administrates transfers of quota shares. Headway has already been made. NOAA has providing roughly $8 million for low interest loans to facilitate active participants (Captain & Crew) purchases of quota. In coordination with the loan program, Industry and NPFMC are developing Rights of First Offer Regulations to provide preference for a portion of quota transactions to active participants. Crabbers will be eligible for 80 percent of the purchase price of crab shares, which can be repaid over 25 years.