At the June 4 joint chamber luncheon, Executive Director Arni Thomson with the Alaska Salmon Alliance spoke about the importance of educating the public about fisheries.
Thomson: “The purpose of the Alaska Salmon Alliance is to promote information and education about the Cook Inlet salmon fisheries and other fisheries on the Kenai Peninsula, Anchorage, Mat-Su Valley because not a lot of people in this region realize that there is such a vibrant commercial fishing economy.”
He added that the growth of the Anchorage bowl has produced over 750 commercial fishing owners, the largest group in the state, which all represent small businesses; that makes for a $350,000,000 economic footprint in Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula, and the Mat-Su.
Thomson said two main things face the Alliance.
Thomson: “I think the most important thing facing us in the future is getting the board of fisheries back to science based management and reducing or eliminating the high degree of politicization that is developing in board of fish decisions. The other thing that I see for the sustainability of the Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula fisheries in the need for a dialog to be initiated, and it needs to be sanctioned by the communities, possibilities.”
Thomson said that the commercial fishing community does not want a fish war in the Cook Inlet but would rather see all the parties come to the table to work out a way to manage the resources.