00           CS FOR HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 18(FSH) am                                                            
01 Relating to an examination of fisheries-related programs to facilitate the entry of young                               
02 Alaskans into commercial fisheries careers and to collaboration with the University of                                  
03 Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative.                                                                     
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS the Alaska seafood industry employs more workers than any other                                         
06 private sector industry in the state; and                                                                               
07       WHEREAS, to continue to thrive, the Alaska resident seafood industry will need                                  
08 future generations of Alaskans to engage in rewarding, ownership-level careers in the                                   
09 industry; and                                                                                                           
10       WHEREAS the average age of a commercial salmon fishing skipper in the state has                                 
11 risen from approximately 41 years of age in 1980 to older than 49 years of age in recent years;                         
12 and                                                                                                                     
13       WHEREAS the average age of an Alaska Peninsula salmon seine permit holder is                                    
14 53.6 years, the average age of a Bristol Bay driftnet permit holder is 47.9 years, and the                              
15 average age of a Southeast power troll permit holder is 53.9 years; and                                                 

01       WHEREAS, since the advent of limited entry and quota share fisheries, the financial                           
02 barriers that hinder young Alaskans in establishing viable fishing businesses have mounted                              
03 and multiplied, with the cost of some limited entry salmon permits at more than $100,000 and                            
04 the average cost of halibut quota shares rising 195 percent between 1995 and 2009; and                                  
05       WHEREAS the overall cost of entry into the commercial fisheries on a diversified                                
06 level sufficient to provide a viable income for a skipper and crew has increased to at least                            
07 $300,000 for boat, gear, permit, and quota shares; and                                                                  
08       WHEREAS escalating costs thwart the ambitions of young fishers, many of whom                                    
09 lack the extensive credit histories and considerable collateral assets needed to secure                                 
10 substantial bank loans; and                                                                                             
11       WHEREAS a modern commercial fishing operation requires an operator to possess                                   
12 business savvy and a sophisticated understanding of regulatory processes, as well as the                                
13 ability to engage with federal and state fisheries policy makers; and                                                   
14       WHEREAS barriers faced by young people in the state seeking to acquire ownership                                
15 of fisheries operations play a significant role in the drain of limited entry permits and fishery                       
16 quota shares from coastal communities and contribute to increasing ownership of fisheries                               
17 permits and businesses in the state by nonresidents; and                                                                
18       WHEREAS programs of the commercial fishing revolving loan fund in the                                           
19 Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development seek to promote the                                         
20 development of predominantly resident fisheries in the state; and                                                       
21       WHEREAS the office of fisheries development in the Department of Commerce,                                      
22 Community, and Economic Development provides a wide variety of resources designed to                                    
23 spur fisheries-related economic development; and                                                                        
24       WHEREAS the Alaska sea grant marine advisory program, which is funded in part by                              
25 the legislature through the University of Alaska, provides young Alaskans with education and                            
26 training in fisheries business financial management, seafood direct marketing, state and                                
27 federal regulatory processes, and effective public speaking before regulatory bodies; and                               
28       WHEREAS, to varying degrees, high schools and postsecondary educational                                         
29 institutions in the state offer classes in fisheries skill sets and nautical sciences; and                              
30       WHEREAS the University of Alaska Fairbanks offers a bachelor of arts degree in                                  
31 fisheries to provide students with a knowledge base, skills set, and practical experience to be                         

01 highly competitive in obtaining rewarding employment in the state's fishing industry, and the                           
02 University of Alaska Southeast fisheries technology program exposes young people to                                     
03 promising careers in commercial fishing and offers programs in aquaculture and fisheries                                
04 management; and                                                                                                         
05       WHEREAS the graying of the fleet in the state continues unabated; and                                           
06       WHEREAS, in June 2011, University of Alaska President Patrick Gamble created the                                
07 allied fisheries working group as a cross-campus initiative to assess and enhance the                                   
08 development of programs, courses, research, and information that meet the employment needs                              
09 of the fisheries, seafood, and maritime industries; and                                                                 
10       WHEREAS the allied fisheries working group was established to sustain and enhance                               
11 the economy and the communities in the state by developing education and training that                                  
12 supports a responsive work force and enables the fishing, seafood, and maritime industries to                           
13 continue to be vibrant and substantial contributors to the state; and                                                   
14       WHEREAS the allied fisheries working group was established to assist Alaskans,                                  
15 particularly young Alaskans, to discover and prepare for the wide range of employment                                   
16 opportunities in the fishing, seafood, and maritime industries; and                                                     
17       WHEREAS, in the latest phase of University of Alaska's initiative, the university has                         
18 joined the fishing industry, government, and Rasmuson Foundation participants to create the                             
19 University of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative; and                                                   
20       WHEREAS the goals of the University of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime                                  
21 initiative align closely with the Alaska State Legislature's objective to turn the tide on the                          
22 graying of the fleet by strengthening programs and providing resources to facilitate the entry                          
23 of young Alaskans into gainful, lifelong, ownership-level commercial fishing careers;                                   
24       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature endorses and encourages the                                    
25 continuing work of the University of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative; and be                         
26 it                                                                                                                      
27       FURTHER RESOLVED that the president of the senate shall appoint one senator                                     
28 and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one representative as liaisons to                         
29 the University of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative so that the Alaska State                           
30 Legislature is kept well apprised of the initiative's progress; and be it                                               
31       FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislators appointed as liaisons to the University                                   

01 of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative shall provide quarterly reports to the                            
02 legislature on the initiative's progress; and be it                                                                     
03       FURTHER RESOLVED that, by January 20, 2013, the legislators appointed as                                        
04 liaisons to the University of Alaska fisheries, seafood, and maritime initiative shall submit                           
05 recommendations to the legislature regarding ways in which the legislature may effectively                              
06 contribute to the initiative.                                                                                           
07       A COPY of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Patrick Gamble, President of                           
08 the University of Alaska.