October 12, 2015

12 Oct

Transboundary. Two new polls show Alaskans and British Columbians overwhelmingly support increased protection for water, fish, jobs and culture from mining development taking place in northwest British Columbia (B.C). The region includes the transboundary watersheds of the Taku, Stikine and Unuk Rivers that originate in B.C. and flow into Alaska: http://www.salmonbeyondborders.org/press-releases

Setnet ban attempt. An initiative to ban setnetting may be on the 2016 ballot after the Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance gathered more than 43,000 signatures. In August, Alaska Supreme Court Justices heard oral arguments in the State of Alaska v. Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance and the issue is slated to go to the Alaska Supreme Court. Banning a commercial fishery potentially sets a bad precedence for commercial fishermen so we are watching this issue. Here’s an article about it and attached is a document written by the opposition, Alaska Fisheries Conservation Alliance. http://www.ktva.com/setnet-ban-initiative-heads-to-alaska-supreme-court-353/

Marketing meeting. If you are in Anchorage Oct 21-23, head to the Egan Center where the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) Board of Directors will have their All Hands on Deck meeting. It’s open to the public and packed with seafood information. They will be reviewing last year and planning for the future. Contact me or them if you’d like the agenda.

Alaska Budget. Our state budget looks a lot different than other states. Alaska is one of seven states without a personal income tax, one of only five states without a state sales tax, and the only state with neither. Instead, Alaska relies on two main sources of revenue (oil taxes/royalties and federal funding) to fund all state services, build and maintain necessary infrastructure, and save for the future. A third source, investment earnings, primarily comes from Alaska’s Permanent Fund and pays for the annual dividend that Alaska residents receive each year – a spending category other states don’t have. This website tells a lot more. We’ll be getting to know this site as the state works up a budget for the coming year: http://www.alaskabudget.com/

Thank you for your support!

-Cynthia Wallesz