November 8, 2019 — Alaskans know just how essential fisheries are to life in the 49th state. The seafood industry is the largest direct employer in our state, providing 60,000 jobs and generating over $5 billion for Alaska’s economy. Over 15 percent of Alaska’s working age rural residents are employed by the industry. And commercial fisheries are a cultural and economic cornerstone in small communities across the state’s 33,000 miles of shoreline.

Alaska’s seafood industry also provides for our nation. Catches in Alaska make up more than 60 percent of all seafood harvests in the United States, and millions of Americans can thank Alaska’s fishermen and processors for the wild-caught, healthy fish and shellfish they enjoy throughout the country. The science on the benefits of eating seafood, especially for children and pregnant women, continues to grow. Alaska fisheries help grow a healthy America. It’s as simple as that.

All the benefits provided by Alaska’s fisheries don’t come free, however. In addition to the hard work of our seafood harvesters, healthy fisheries need investment. We need strong science and management to ensure our fisheries are healthy and sustainable and that catches are the optimal size for our economy, communities, and marine ecosystems. This costs money — but the return on investment is huge. I find myself reminding my Senate colleagues of that fact each appropriations cycle, whenever federal funding to support our fisheries comes under threat.

Read the full story at The Juneau Empire