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Promoting Vibrant & Livable Communities in Southwest Alaska
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September 2014
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Greetings!
Now that fishing season is wrapping up, we all have more time to consider our communities and the future of Southwest Alaska. A SWAMC membership is an investment in a strong economy and sustainable communities in the region. Please join us as we work to create new economic opportunities and improve the quality of life in Southwest Alaska. The membership application can be found on SWAMC's website.
Membership Benefits:
- Advocacy on Regional Issues: SWAMC provides a mechanism to speak as a unified voice on issues important to the region. Through resolutions and other advocacy strategies, SWAMC advances the positions that support its core mission and support the collective interests of its members. Reoccuring advocacy topics include transportation and infrastructure development (multi-modal), value-added fisheries, small business development, energy, ferry access, and other economic development topics, including improved fisheries data collection.
- Regional Economic Planning: SWAMC publishes the Southwest Alaska Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and other research on the regional economy. Members receive advance notice of research findings, as well as annual CEDS updates.
- Elect Board Members: Board members are elected by members at the annual meeting based on sub-regional caucuses for the Aleutian/Pribilofs, Bristol Bay, and Kodiak. Two at-large associate seats are elected by an open vote of the members.
- Economic Summit and Membership Meeting: This important annual event serves as a forum for important economic and community development issues as well as organizational governance and membership business. Members receive discounted registration.
- Tourism Promotion: SWAMC promotes Alaska's Southwest as a visitor destination via the southwestalaska.com Web site, a regional lure brochure, as coordinator of the Southwest segment of the Alaska Marine Highway Scenic Byway, and through other planning efforts and promotional strategies.
- Business Development: From year to year, SWAMC sponsors a series of business development workshops addressing key issues or barriers to starting, expanding, or retaining a business in the region.
- E-Tidings Newsletter: This publication provides an update on regional issues, SWAMC activities and projects, and other useful news. Members receive the newsletter electronically. Email notices and online communication are used to inform members between issues of the newsletter.
- Community Planning: SWAMC staff can assist those communities with limited resources in community planning activities. Ask about SWAMC's Community Planning Policy and how it can work for your community.
- Funding Alerts: SWAMC regularly reviews federal, state, and private funding sources. E-mail funding alerts are forwarded to members based on their stated interests.
- Quality of Life Index: SWAMC introduced the Southwest Alaska Quality of Life Index in 2005. The report compares the region with other regions and state averages. Over time, the index will provide a useful tool benchmarking progress on key community and economic development indicators.
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Southwest Alaska Could See 100 MBps Broadband by 2020
After a successful summit in July, the Statewide Broadband Task Force met for the final time in August to consider recommendations made at the summit.
The meeting included remarks from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Senator Mark Begich.
One of the milestones proposed by the task force was the availability of 100 Mbps broadband to every Alaska home by the year 2020. 100 Mbps speeds are over ten times faster than the average user's speed in urban Anchorage and 100 times faster than the fastest available connection in Dutch Harbor.
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On Shellfish, Alaska Could Learn a Thing or Two From... New Zealand?
Alaska and New Zealand are both known for their mountains and breathtaking scenery, but for most, the similarities end there.
However, to those who want to build a $1 billion shellfish industry in Alaska, New Zealand has striking parallels. Like Alaska, New Zealand has a small population and an unpolluted coastline boasting strong fisheries. With long distances to primary markets, both Alaska and New Zealand's seafood industries are heavily reliant on exports.
In 1988, New Zealand launched an intense government funded research and development program focused on shellfish aquaculture. New Zealand's annual green shell mussel production grew from a harvest value of $15 million in 1988, when government funded shellfish aquaculture research began, to over $218 million in 2011, with a total national aquaculture revenue of $400 million.
Untapped Potential in Alaska
Alaska has more potential for shellfish aquaculture than the rest of the United States combined. The pristine and undeveloped Alaska shoreline provides the opportunity for hundreds, if not thousands, of new shellfish aquaculture production sites around the state. With worldwide seafood production shifting from traditional wild capture fisheries to commercial aquaculture production, Alaska is in a unique, opportunistic position to rapidly expand into the fastest growing food-producing industry in the world. The UN estimates that over half the world's seafood will be aquaculture products by 2030, with aquaculture production tripling by 2050. A sustained and coordinated research and development program among industry, community, and government stakeholders will catalyze Alaska's shellfish aquaculture growth to exponential levels, providing in-demand seafood to world markets and long-term economic growth to Alaska's coastal communities.
The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development recently released the Alaska Mariculture Development Prospectus in an attempt to establish a formal initiative focused on expediting the development of the aquaculture industry in Alaska. Among its listed goals, the department aims to "establish a sustainable research program able to address technical problems in resource management, new species development, state of the art aquatic farm production methods, and market research".
The Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation is currently in the preliminary stages of developing a statewide strategic plan, envisioning a $1 billion industry in 30 years. We have a long way to go from where we're at currently. Since the passage of the Aquatic Farm Act in 1988 (finfish farming is banned under this law), Alaska's marine farming industry has struggled to grow, with annual values between $200,000 and $600,000.
However, with a strategic plan, careful study, and sustained research and development, SWAMC believes the industry can grow to thriving levels and enrich our coastal communities.
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2014 Substance Abuse Summit "Reclaim Alaska: The Aleut Solution"
If you live or work in Southwest Alaska, chances are you or someone you know has been impacted by substance abuse.
The Aleutian Pribilof Island Association is holding their first ever Substance Abuse Summit September 10 -12 in Anchorage to address this gnawing issue.
Topics will include:
- Understand the Problem and Tried Solutions
- Turning Hope into Action
- Developing Strategies to Reclaim Alaska
SWAMC is pleased to see these issues being addressed at a community level and continues to support all efforts to chip away at an issue that has affected so many.
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Volunteers Needed for Junior Achievement on Kodiak Island
In September, Junior Achievement of Alaska will visit six village schools on Kodiak Island to conduct "JA in a Day" lessons on workplace readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.
The program helps prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs which make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Students put these lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities.
Volunteers are needed for the following dates and locations to help teach Junior Achievement lessons:
- Port Lions - September 22, 2014 | 2 volunteers needed
- Ouzinkie - September 23, 2014 | 1 volunteer needed
- Karluk - September 24, 2014 |2 volunteers needed
- Chiniak - September 25, 2014 | 2 volunteers needed, *driving distance, no flights needed
- Akhiok - September 26, 2014 | 3 volunteers needed
- Old Harbor - October 3, 2014 | 3 volunteers needed
All volunteers will receive training from JA and transportation to and from the villages.
If you're interested, please contact Amarin Ellis at 907-344-0101 ext. 24 or aellis@ja-alaska.org
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New "Ocean Data Explorer" Provides Access to Statewide Data
The Alaska Ocean Observing System recently launched its Ocean Data Explorer, providing access to all of its publicly available data in one statewide portal. The portal contains scientific and management information including real-time sensor feeds, operational oceanographic and atmospheric models, satellite observations and GIS data sets that describe the biological, chemical and physical characteristics of Alaska and its surrounding waters.
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EPA Public Comment and Hearings on Pebble Mine
SWAMC continues to monitor the status of an EPA proposal to block the construction of Pebble Mine via the Clean Water Act. In August, hearings were held in Anchorage and six Bristol bay communities to give the public a chance to comment on the proposal. Hundreds testified and submitted written comments on the proposal.
Opinions on the proposal were diverse - many opponents expressed concern that the EPA was overstepping its authority by not allowing the mine to go through the state permitting process, while many supporters said the action was necessary to protect the region's wild salmon fishery.
SWAMC is glad the EPA chose to hold hearings in Bristol Bay communities to gather public input from the residents its proposal will affect most. While the issue is divisive, we have confidence in the strong bonds of our communities and know that even in great controversy we will still come together to work toward a bright future.
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Interested in Supporting Southwest Alaska's Economy?
BECOME A SWAMC MEMBER TODAY!
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Our Special Thanks to SWAMC Members!
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Our Supporters
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Visit Southwest Alaska @
www.southwestalaska.com
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SWAMC Board of Directors
Alice Ruby, Pres.
Carol Austerman, Vice Pres.
Layton Lockett, Treasurer
Cynthia Berns
Dan Clarion Glen Gardner
Paul Gronholdt
Shirley Marquardt Dan O'Hara
Michelle Ravenmoon Joe Sullivan
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As always...
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Thanks for your support of SWAMC. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, concerns and events. For previous newsletters, click the link below.
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