Posts by Sue Keller
Antibacterial coating may boost seafood industry
A research project underway this summer in Kodiak has the potential to boost the Dungeness crab industry, valued at an average of $9 million per year in Alaska. Katherine Rubio is testing the antibacterial effect of chitosan as an edible film on cooked Dungeness crab products. She is an Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute intern working in the science labs at the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.
Read MoreArcticToday: “Mysterious marine mammal injuries hint that some sharks are shifting their range northward into the Arctic.”
Gay Sheffield and others were researchers.
Read MoreHealthNewsDigest.com: “Study: Alaska fishermen suffer high rate of health problems.”
Torie Baker is one of the researchers.
Read MoreStudy: Alaska fishermen suffer high rate of health problems
Alaska salmon fishermen have a significantly higher rate of health problems than the general population, according to a new study conducted by the University of Washington School of Public Health in partnership with Alaska Sea Grant. The health issues include noise-induced hearing loss, upper extremity disorders and fatigue possibly associated with sleep apnea.
Read MoreFishermen learn safety drills to head off disasters at sea
Commercial fishing is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States with a fatality rate 29 times higher than the national average. To head off disasters for the 2018 commercial fishing season Julie Matweyou and Art Schultz trained 30 commercial fishermen to conduct marine safety drills in Kodiak last month.
Read MoreSea Grant fellow hired by fishery council
One of the reasons Sara Cleaver likes working for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is that her workmates are as enthusiastic about fish as she is. “It is such a relief to have coworkers who don’t find your obsession with fish to be weird—in fact, it is basically a requirement of the job.” Cleaver said. She has been hired full time by the Council, cutting short her Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship there. Her fellowship would have run until October, but instead she was recruited into a two-year position that started May 21.
Read MoreSouthern catfish processors learn from Alaska Sea Grant
Alaska Sea Grant’s Chris Sannito recently toured several catfish processing plants in the Mississippi Delta, at the invitation of researchers looking to improve efficiencies. Sannito advised processors on how to further their in-plant automation.
Read MoreSeafood leadership training strengthens industry
Learning to lead effectively is key for employees who want to advance in their companies. Alaska Sea Grant has trained nearly 100 mid-level managers over the past 10 years at…
Read More2018 update on kelp mariculture in Alaska
There are many great reasons for pursuing seaweed culture in Alaska—there is a huge space for it, Alaska has diverse species of seaweed and a fleet of vessels is available for harvest and transport. At Ocean Tuesday, a weekly forum for promoting Alaska’s maritime economy, Annie Thomson and Tamsen Peeples talked about their research on kelp mariculture in Alaska.
Read MoreBristol Bay residents learn to advocate for fisheries issues
A course called “Fisheries and the Legislative Process” is teaching Alaskans from the Bristol Bay region how to be advocates in the state capital. Each January a group of Bristol Bay students of all ages travels to Juneau for a week, where they learn the lawmaking process and how decisions are made that affect their communities.
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