Fish Factor: Survey: Fishermen anxious about future of industry By LAINE WELCH - Kodiak fishermen are a happy lot, but they are also anxious about the future of their industry.  

Those are some of the early findings of an ongoing survey that focuses on the social and cultural perceptions of the fishing life in Kodiak and how things have changed over two decades. 

The survey is part of a multiyear project titled Social Transitions and Wellbeing in Kodiak Fisheries and Communities by Courtney Carothers, an assistant professor UAF’s School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.  Carothers lived for more than a year in Kodiak villages to research peoples’ experiences and perceptions; extensive interviews and the survey are helping to flesh out more findings.

“In terms of fisheries policy, when there is an analysis of some social or human component it’s often just the economics.  It all boils down to how much money people are making and what are the costs, that sort of thing,” Carothers explained.  “I think the social and cultural connections people have to fishing, to communities, to shared ways of living are really important.”

In June about 1,000 surveys were sent to a random sample of    Kodiak fishermen in all gear groups and fisheries. It asked them to rank questions that asked how happy or satisfied they are with fishing and various aspects of it today compared to 20 years ago. Carothers has compiled responses from the first 150 returns by fishermen having an average of 26 years experience out on the water. 

“It’s really great that folks who have had a ton of fishing experience, mostly out of Kodiak, are sharing their insights,” she said in an interview that revealed some of her findings.

Overall, commercial fishermen said if they had their lives to live over again, they would be fishermen, with most responding ‘yes’ or ‘strongly yes.’  Most also agreed that Kodiak is a healthy fishing community.

“Very few strongly agreed, though,” Carothers said.  “Most were sort of in the middle or neutral. So I think that suggests people have some concerns about certain aspects of Kodiak compared to 15-20 years ago.”

The survey asked what people see as major threats to the sustainability of Kodiak as a fishing community and got back a wide range of perspectives.  Unforeseen environmental challenges, such as ocean acidification made the list of worries. Another is friction among local fishermen.

 “People often mentioned the disharmony among the different gear groups in town. They feel like that has gotten a bit more pronounced and they recognize that everyone in Kodiak needs the fish to be healthy and everyone needs to get along,” Carothers said.

The cost of entry into fisheries was cited as a major stressor, as was fear that spiraling costs will prevent young people from entering fisheries.  Not surprisingly, the impact of catch share programs was mentioned as a major cause of change and concern for Kodiak fishermen.  

“Haves and have nots – that’s the way people say fishing is characterized now as compared to the past. Certain programs have been put in place and they have been great for certain people but others feel they have been left out of those programs. I think that has affected some people’s sense of wellbeing,” Carothers said. - More...
Monday - August 06, 2012

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Rise of Coastal Management Phoenix By A. M. Johnson - Nice to see old faces return to the Ketchikan scene. I recall Ms. Troll being a what is now commonly referred to as 'Community activist or maybe organizer' in her early days as a resident she apparently continues very successful with what she does. Good to hear comments from retired Judge Schultz, happy to know that he and his wife chose to retire here in Ketchikan. - More...
Monday PM - August 06, 2012

Col. Archie Van Winkle By Stephen C. McGowan - I recall getting a brand new Rambler American Sedan, fresh from Warren, Michigan for use by Col. Van Winkle. I was working as a motor-pool dispatcher with the MP's aboard Camp Pendleton, USMC. Calif. The Col. advised me that it would be arriving soon. It came in on a Friday afternoon, so I polished it up and backed it into the cage with the Col's name on it. That evening a boot Lt. came into my office to get a vehicle for his shift as Officer of the day, for the MP's. He said he wanted the brand new sedan that had just come in. I informed the Lt. that the sedan was the Col's brand new vehicle, and that I couldn't let anyone use it, other than the Col. The Lt. said he was giving me a direct order to use the car. Well, I was just a Lance-Corporal, and being a good Marine I had to follow his orders. - More...
Monday PM - August 06, 2012

Warning:  District 33 House Seat Not for Sale By Jim Shoemaker - Three GOP candidates – Agnes Moran, Patti Mackey, and Peggy Wilson – want to represent Ketchikan and Wrangell in the State House of Representatives. 

The latest reports filed by those three candidates with the Alaska Public Offices Commission tell a crucial tale of campaign financing and outside special interests.  Every voter in Ketchikan should take heed.  - More...
Friday PM - August 03, 2012

Rights of Person's with Disabilities Treaty By Amanda Mitchell - The CRPD stands for The Convention of Rights of Person's with Disabilities. It is a treaty that is going to be voted on in the Senate to be ratified soon. I have done my own research and am horrified that we would even consider this. Basically, it is the same as The Convention on the Rights of a Child. However, it is giving the UN/government control over what is in the "best interests" of the disabled and disabled children. It supersedes any of our own fundamental rights like the right to self-govern, our laws and Constitution. And instead of "We the People" it gives further control over to government to do what "it" thinks is best. - More...
Friday PM - August 03, 2012

Too Many Lifeguards By Julie Yonker - I do not normally write any responses in the SitNews letters, I just read them. However, this time I want to make a comment. - More...
Friday PM - August 03, 2012

School 1957 vs. 2010 By A. M. Johnson - Too good not to submit for consumption! Here is a stark realization of how far we as a civilization have fallen!! We have deteriorated into a Nation of 'Wimps'. You read this stuff happening almost daily where once as in 1957, you grew up toughen to what life was going to present-Reality. - More...
Friday PM - August 03, 2012

Re: Voter Turnout By Joey Garcia - Regarding Ken Lewis' comments on voter turn-out, I simply disagree on his premise to somewhat disallow the PFD to non-voters. He should remember that PFD is not a right but a privilege given to Alaskans whether they answered NO in their PFD application but stayed outside Alaska for more than 180 days, an oversight for PFD to really check if the applicants are not committing fraud. - More...
Friday PM - August 03, 2012

Parrots will Prevail... then we starve. by Ken Bylund - Constructionism and Determinism is how our species organize our day to day survival strategy, and it works pretty good, but there are many a dangerous flaw; Friedrich Hayek saw it as The Fatal Conceit; Heinz Pagels' Cosmic Code, wrote about Albert Einstein's opposition to the New Quantum theory... his quip, "God doesn't play dice." Einstein was saying he believes in 'determinism', that 'probability' was abhorrent and that nature was 'put together with mathematical precision' and could be understood and predicted. It appears even Einstein could be wrong. - More...
Monday - July 30, 2012

Are we ever disappointed? By Judith Green - NO! We are never disappointed in any of the multitude of events on our island that give us beauty in talent. And so it was again this past week end - CLassics a'la Carte. High school students, recent Kayhi graduates, long time Ktn residents: ensembles, solos, duets: instrumental, vocal. For 2 hours we were engaged, in awe, amazed, enthralled - glad for the evening. Bravo to each one who shared with us just a little of their 'joy of music'. - More...
Monday - July 30, 2012

RE: Voter Turnout By Mark Stopha - I don't think Ken Lewis's idea of having to vote in order to receive a PFD is unfair or bad at all. In fact, I've had a similar idea, using the power of the PFD without spending any of it to improve things in Alaska. It would change getting a PFD from a right to a privledge - like hunting and fishing. - More...
Monday - July 30, 2012

Voter Turnout Solution By Brian Gray - Heck Ken Lewis, for a piece of that AK Perm Fund, I'd go back to "the homeland" to vote and pay my own way! Especially if only a marginally higher turnout was a result. - More...
Monday - July 30, 2012

NCAA Piling On Penn State By Donald A. Moskowitz - I am upset about the child abuse committed by Sandusky and the cover up by Paterno, Curley, Schulz and Spanier.  The lives of many young children have been adversely impacted by these men.- More...
Monday - July 30, 2012

Drinking Burned Garbage By Shelley Stallings - Thank you Kathy Doyle. I continue to be amazed when I see people burning garbage. This form of air pollution is bad enough by itself, but when you add the fact that almost all of us outside of the city limits drink water which is collected from our roofs, it becomes really scary. As you noted there are many synthetic chemicals in much of the garbage that is burned. This ends up on our roofs, then into our cisterns. - More...
Monday - July 23, 2012

Voter Turn out By Ken Lewis - 7% turn out is sad, so here is my dumb solution. Alaskans get oil revenue money. If you want your Permanent Fund check, Vote. - More...
Monday - July 23, 2012

RE: Too Many Lifeguards By Kevin Gadsey - I am responding to Ms. Teal's question about having too many lifeguards at the pool. She must have come to the old Smithers Pool when the newly-hired lifeguards were training side-by-side with the experienced lifeguards. At the Smithers Pool, they usually had 3-4 guards for both pools combined. - More...
Monday - July 23, 2012

RE: "Too Many Lifeguards" By Larissa Otness - I am in shock that someone would question the amount of lifeguards and they're importance to the safety of our children. - More...
Monday - July 23, 2012

Ketchikan Gas Prices By Mike Wilson - Just a friendly note to let people know that the gas prices at Lighthouse Tesoro are 30 cents cheaper per gallon than what I observed yesterday in town. - More...
Monday - July 23, 2012

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