Long-running forum spotlights Alaska’s marine policy

The Alaska Marine Policy Forum is a Zoom call that’s older than Zoom itself. But over its 17-year history, the venerable event has maintained the same goal: to enable Alaskans to hear about the latest developments in the state’s marine policies, often directly from the offices of federal and state lawmakers.

“We’re such a big state and everybody’s so far away from each other,” noted former Alaska Sea Grant director Paula Cullenberg, who co-founded the bimonthly forums in 2009 along with Molly McCammon, then the director of the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS). “It is an opportunity for people outside the population hubs in Alaska to ask questions and have contact with the people working on things important to them.”

Alaska Sea Grant and AOOS continue to sponsor the forum, which began as a crowded teleconference before making the jump to video in 2019. Each hourlong meeting begins with updates and Q and A with representatives of Alaska’s Congressional delegation, and with state lawmakers and their staff during the legislative session. This is followed by one or more presentations on marine policy topics and an opportunity for attendees to make announcements. The events attract a regular crowd of about 40 people of all stripes, including policymakers, agency representatives, NGO workers, researchers, educators, students and community members. 

Alaska Sea Grant Director Ginny Eckert said the forum offers a unique opportunity to connect with representatives of the state’s Congressional delegation. “Because we’re a small state, people-wise, it’s really manageable to have that comprehensive connection to state and federal policymakers,” she said. “In a state like California we’d be hard-pressed to do that.”

Fisheries are a frequent subject of presentations at the forums, while other topics over the past year have included harmful algal blooms, landslides, Typhon Halong and invasive European green crabs. “I’ve learned something from every single Alaska Marine Policy Forum,” noted AOOS executive director Sheyna Wisdom, who now co-organizes the events with Eckert. “That’s been one of the great things, is me continuing to make sure I’m educated and my staff is educated on these topics.”

Eckert and Wisdom said some speakers are selected by Alaska Sea Grant and AOOS to address timely subjects, and others are suggested by forum participants and people interested in presenting. “We’re always looking for input from Alaskans about topics they would like to hear about,” noted Eckert.

The next forum will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at 1 p.m. Alaska time. The speaker will be Nicole Kimball, a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) and vice-president of the Pacific Seafood Processors Association. Kimball will present on how the Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness has impacted NPFMC priorities, and also address changes to the Council’s specification process due to a lack of assessment data available during the recent government shutdown. Wisdom said forum topics later this year are likely to include matters like marine carbon dioxide removal, the NOAA Arctic Report Card, and Arctic national security concerns.

Please email Dawn Montano to be added to the Forum announcement list. If you would like to make a presentation on the call or have ideas for topics, please email Ginny Eckert. Summaries of forum minutes dating back to 2015 are available on the AOOS website.