Vol. 27, No. 12
December 2007
Alaska Sea Grant is pleased to announce grant funding for the following projects and principal investigators, for February 2008–January 2010:
Terry Johnson led a collaborative effort by many authors to revise and update the Fishermen's Direct Marketing Manual. The book helps fishermen work through the steps involved in direct marketing—selling seafood products further up the distribution system than to the local processor. Chapters address finding domestic and international customers, strategies for distributing seafood, packaging and shipping, and the basics of business planning. The new edition significantly expands on previous versions, with new sections on accounting, e-commerce, working with custom processors, direct marketing shrimp, avoiding HACCP problems, etc. Published by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Oregon Sea Grant, and Washington Sea Grant, the 96-page book is available free by mail or download at http://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/pubs/MAB-53.html.
Flooding Control: Knowledge & Tools to Prevent Sinking is a new DVD issued by the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association and Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. The 14-minute video gives maintenance procedures to prevent flooding, preparation for dealing with flooding, and temporary patches, plugs, and other flooding control techniques. It was filmed on the Coast Guard damage control trainer and onboard working vessels in Alaska. Deborah Mercy, Marine Advisory Program media specialist, produced the video with Coast Guard funding. AMSEA staff wrote the script. You can order the DVD for $20 at http://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/pubs/MAPV-64.html, or borrow it from a coastal Marine Advisory office.
Alaska Sea Grant hosted a booth at Pacific Marine Expo in Seattle last month. Sherri Pristash and Jen Gunderson talked with the public and potential UAF students in fisheries education. Terry Johnson organized and moderated four seminar sessions—Alaska's Limited Entry Plan: What It Means to You, Getting the Most Out of Your Boatyard, Salmon Mass Marketing and Selective Fisheries, and The Latest in Charter Gear and Technology.
Alaska Sea Grant hosted the annual Advisory Committee (AC) meeting in November at the Anchorage National Park Service building. Twenty-three out of 28 members were present or were represented. Three new AC members were welcomed: Lt. Patrick Barelli, USCG; Denby Lloyd, ADFG Commissioner; and Sen. Joe Thomas. UAF ecology professor Terry Chapin spoke on Resilience and Adaptation and Dean Denis Wiesenburg gave an after-dinner overview of SFOS activities throughout the state. John Byrne, former NOAA administrator and current chair of the National Sea Grant Strategic Plan Steering Committee, made a special appearance and spoke about the national plan.
Sessions included updating Alaska Sea Grant's strategic plan and how ASG can help communities adapt to climate and other changes. In their role as a source for guidance, the AC suggested that Alaska Sea Grant increase emphasis on climate change. In addition they voted on ways Alaska Sea Grant can make a difference to Alaskans. The top five are
Reid Brewer and other Unalaska divers organized the new Unalaska Divers Association. The association will promote education, safety, and community service through diving operations in Unalaska. Brewer was named chair of the association.
Brewer organized a fund-raiser for local divers who perform rescue operations for the City of Unalaska, and for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) Alaska region. Alaskan Brewing Co. beers and a wide variety of seafood were enjoyed by 135 participants. In total, $9000 was raised in the sold-out event. Proceeds were split between the Unalaska Divers Association and travel funds for the Unalaska Tsunami team to compete in the 2008 NOSB, Alaska region.
Brewer held four NOSB training meetings recently with 20 high school students who want to participate in the 2008 bowl. Eight students will be selected to represent Unalaska at the event, to be held February 8–9 in Seward.
At the Cordova High School Career Day in October, Torie Baker presented a talk to 240 students on the business of being a commercial fisherman. The session was the most popular of all topics offered. Baker also represented UAF and SFOS in three college recruiting and information sessions, joining 40 other presenters from various agencies, occupations, and training centers.
Within weeks of finishing marine safety instructor training from the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, Heidi Herter traveled to St. Lawrence Island to teach "Surviving Cold Water Emergencies" in partnership with Jason Hymer, injury prevention coordinator at Norton Sound Health Corporation. In Gambell and Savoonga Herter taught emergency preparedness and treatment for cold water near-drowning and hypothermia. The Gambell instruction included a half-day on survival suits as well.
At the annual meeting of the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators, Terry Johnson gave a presentation on the new state regulation preventing transport and harboring of rodents. He also described a MAP project that will develop a manual on rat control at Alaska waterfront facilities and train harbor operators on rat prevention, and got input on the best ways to present rat control information to harbor operators.
Johnson participated in a meeting of AKRAT (Alaska Rodent Action Team), along with representatives of USFWS, ADFG, DOT, DEC, Audubon Society, World Wildlife Fund, Island Conservation, Defenders of Wildlife, Nature Conservancy, City of St. Paul, Coast Guard, and others. Johnson will attend the New York City Rodent Control Academy December 11–13, to strengthen his background in harbor rat control.