Public Questions

Following are specific question on each subcommittee area. Please take the time to answer the following questions, your input would be greatly appreciated. You may submit your answer in either the following on-line form or by downloading the Word version of this survey and email or fax it in.

It is recommended that you print and read the Background Report before answering the question. Thank you for your participation.

Salmon Task Force Subcommittee Public Questions

Name:
Email:
Address:
Phone:
Fish Area:
Gear Type:

Quality

1. A) What does the Alaska salmon industry need to achieve a higher quality product?

B) Should chilling at point of harvest of commercially harvested salmon be mandatory statewide? If the ice is available, should chilling at point of harvest of commercially harvested salmon be mandatory statewide?

2. Should the state be involved in creating a quality standard, state quality seal, and a state quality commission?

3. Should the state have a quality education program for industry participants?

4. What incentives do you need to improve the quality of your harvested and/or processed salmon?

Marketing

1. Do we use existing state salmon promotional structures or do we change the structures? If changed, what changes should be made?

2. Who or what entity or entities should be paying for the promotion and/or marketing of Alaska’s wild salmon?

3. Should the state help individual fishermen promote and market their wild salmon? If so, how?

Production

1. How can we remove or reduce costs from the harvesting sector in a way that allows regional self-determination?

2. How can we remove or reduce costs and aid the processing sector?

3. In addition to the removal or reduction of costs, are there statutory/regulatory changes that can help the harvesters and/or the processors?

Finance

1. Are there better ways in which the state can use existing fishing industry taxes to assist the salmon industry?

2. Do current State of Alaska loan practices address the needs of the salmon industry? If not, what changes would you suggest?

3. Should the State of Alaska provide for the permanent retirement of limited entry permits in your fishery? If salmon limited entry permits were retired in your fishery, what incentives would you suggest for retirement? If funding is needed, who should pay?

Governance

Hatcheries
1. Would you support legislative development of a State of Alaska hatchery policy and/or performance standards for hatcheries, and/or changes to the state’s relationship with all hatchery owners?

Education
1. What role should the State play in providing fisheries education (K-12, post-secondary, and voc/tech) in order to promote Alaskans in the fishing and seafood industry?

2. Does Alaska’s university system adequately meet the research and post secondary educational needs of the Alaska salmon industry? If not, what changes would you suggest?

3. If you are displaced by changes in the salmon industry, what could the state do to provide retraining and/or alternative employment?

Agency Oversight
1. Apart from the Board of Fish decisions, are there other state agency regulations that could be changed to benefit Alaska’s salmon industry?

2. Do you support Alaska’s board of fish process? If changes are necessary, what would you suggest?

3. Do you support a task force created by the legislature to review the Alaska Board of Fish?

Seafood Commission
1. Should the State of Alaska develop an Alaska Seafood Commission to annually advise the legislature on the needs of the seafood industry?

Economic Development
1. As Alaska’s salmon industry changes, what are the economic development issues, community and individual concerns that should be addressed by the State Legislature?