Turning the Tide - Five Steps to Ensure the Survival of the Trident Seafood Industry

 

According to Brannon Finney,  for the last four years, the graying of Alaska's fishing fleet has been a rising source of worry for the state. The study Turning the Tide proposes strategies for reversing these alarming trends. The study also includes five recommendations to assist rural communities in reconnecting with their fishing history and resuming their fishing careers. The purpose of the recent Young Fishermen's Summit was to launch this program. In the next weeks, the task group will review the report and its recommendations.

The skiffman is in charge of keeping the net out of the path of other boats, although the captain may signal him to seek assistance. Training is another method for bringing fish onboard a boat. While this strategy is still used in certain sections of Alaska, the majority of fishing boats depend on bites. To put it another way, this method is more time-consuming than catching fish. As a result, it's critical for stiffen to be aware of all of these concerns. Later this month, the new modifications will take effect. These modifications necessitate the installation of life rafts on small fishing vessels. These vessels will also be required to go three miles offshore under the new laws. Many Alaskans will be employed as a result of this. It will also assist the sector in attaining its goal of increasing food output. This eliminates the need to keep up with a sluggish economy. It will help the state and the country if more young people enter the fishing sector.

Brannon Finney desclosed, the state should alleviate the financial burden on new commercial fisherman, according to the research. The researchers conducted interviews with middle and high school students in Kodiak and Bristol Bay to learn about the challenges they encounter. Despite the difficulties, it is clear that the state's fishing business has to be made more accessible and inexpensive. It's also worth remembering that the state is experiencing a population problem. The fishing fleet's present graying should not be permitted to continue. To examine the obstacles experienced by their fishing families, the researchers conducted interviews with young Alaskans and polled their parents. They inquired about social factors, upward mobility, and educational ambitions. They also inquired about the issues that each town and area face. Social issues, according to the report, deter young fisherman from joining the sector. Many households cannot afford fishing equipment, and their children frequently do not have the time to fish. Alaska's state government has made the long-term viability of the fishing fleet a priority. The commercial fishing fleet of the state collected more than six billion pounds of seafood in 2015, making it the highest catch in the state's history. While the fishing sector provides enormous cash, it also supports millions of other employment in the coastal region. Furthermore, commercial fishermen's job helps to sustain the economy. As a consequence, Alaska's fishing sector has a massive economic influence. In Brannon Finney opinion, alaska has a massive fishing fleet. The whole fleet would reach over seventy-one miles if lined up from bow to stern. It is believed that the state's fishing sector processes enough seafood to feed every American for a month. The commercial fishing industry in Alaska earns about three billion dollars each year, according to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Two-thirds of this value is accounted for by exports, with the remaining three-fourths going to US markets. The graying of Alaska's fleet is a major source of worry. A considerable portion of the fleet is over 50 years old, and the state's economy is projected to suffer as a result of the fleet's graying. Furthermore, many elderly Alaskan fisherman are less likely to have access to fishing supplies accessible abroad. The state of Alaska, as well as its coastal towns, are concerned about the graying of the fleet. The commercial fishing business is Alaska's most significant source of revenue. The commercial fishing fleet in the state has over 8,000 boats and employs 62,200 people. The majority of these boats are between 23 and 49 feet length. They would stretch the length of the state from bow to stern, covering a distance of 63 miles. And that's only the beginning: the rest of the country's commercial fishing industry is booming.