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At
its work session Thursday, the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly discussed an
ordinance that would create a Fisheries and Oceanic Research Board Committee. Assembly
members agreed on the need for such a board to better advocate for the needs
and interests of Kodiak's fisheries.
KMXT's Erik Wander has more.
Dr. Murat Balaban
has been serving in the role of director of the University
of Alaska Fairbanks' Fishery Industrial
Technology Center
in Kodiak for just over a year. He said that fisheries are critical for Kodiak
in terms of economic and social impacts and pointed out that the nature of
fisheries issues are always in flux. He said there are factors that can be
controlled and some which cannot, such as changes in ocean temperature and the
environment. He said the creation of a board would go a long way toward addressing
those issues.
-- (Balaban 1 37 sec. "The things that we can control ... really good idea.")
Balaban said
creating a board would be the first step in better advocating for Kodiak's
needs regarding fisheries issues in Juneau and Washington, D.C.
-- (Balaban 2 27 sec. "The important thing is how ... in the fisheries area.")
Assemblywoman
Sue Jeffrey, who is a commercial salmon fisherman, said the assembly feels the
advent of a Fisheries and Oceanic Research Board Committee is a good idea,
because it provides an opportunity for more communication and collaboration
among researchers, fishermen and the public. She also said that Kodiak is the
type of community that benefits most from such factors.
-- (Jeffrey 1 55 sec. "We thought that establishing ... in
a perfect location.")
If adopted, the
ordinance will create a roughly 12-member committee. Board members would
include the director of the Fishery Industrial Technology
Center, the director of the Kodiak Fisheries
Research Center
and a representative from the Kodiak office of Fish and Game. It would also
include the city and borough mayors as well as the City and Borough managers, a
rotating seat of village mayors and representatives from the Kodiak Fisheries
Advisory Committee, the Coast Guard and the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.
I'm Erik Wander.
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