Bill will support the economies, climate resiliency, and energy capabilities of coastal communities
Monday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), introduced the Working Waterfronts Act, legislation which includes more than a dozen provisions aimed at boosting the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities in Alaska and across the country. The bill will also support efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and strengthen federal conservation research projects.
In October 2022, Senator Murkowski began soliciting feedback from Alaskans to help draft the Working Waterfronts legislation.
“The blue economy continues to be a growing and thriving industry full of opportunity for coastal communities in Alaska—and that’s why I’m focused on bolstering the workforce and strengthening shoreside and coastal infrastructure through the Working Waterfronts Act. I want to thank the many Alaskans who engaged with my team and I to craft this legislation. You shared your thoughts and ideas with me—and we have a strong product,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “Our state is home to 66,000 miles of coastline, with thousands of people reliant on our rivers and oceans that can house successful fishery operations, tourism opportunities, mariculture, and more. To ensure that we capitalize on the opportunities that exist through the blue economy, we need to ensure that we have the infrastructure and workforce to support our goals. This bill won’t just help young fishermen and innovative entrepreneurs but will boost research and climate change mitigation efforts as we work towards a more sustainable future. I’m proud to introduce this bill that holistically invests in coastal communities and the blue economy.”
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“The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) thanks Senator Murkowski for her continued efforts to support Alaska’s commercial fishing industry, which provides tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic impact across the state. The Working Waterfronts Act would make impactful changes that are needed now, such as expanding access for fishermen and processors to USDA loans, grants for improving waterfront infrastructure that benefit commercial fishermen, and creating a new program to improve maritime workforce development. These changes, along with many others in the Act, provide needed help the Alaska seafood industry, a critical pillar of Alaska’s economy,” said Greg Smith, Communications Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI).
“Senator Murkowski’s Working Waterfronts Act addresses many of the issues with today’s US seafood industry. The provisions in the Act will help the industry compete in a global market that has long ago passed us by with their subsidies that address labor, financing, technology and marketing. Thankyou Senator Murkowski for beginning the process to assist the US seafood industry in so many ways,” said Bruce Schactler, director of the National Seafood Marketing Coalition.
“Senator Murkowski’s comprehensive working waterfronts legislation is a beacon of hope for Alaska’s blue economy. By safeguarding our vital maritime hubs we’re not just protecting our past, but also paving the way for a prosperous future. Alaskans need these types of forward-thinking initiatives, ensuring coastal communities thrive, maritime industries flourish, and ocean resources are maximized for sustainable growth,” said Peter Warden, Director, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation Startup Accelerator.
“The Working Waterfronts Act addresses many of the challenges facing our coastal communities. The Network applauds Sen. Murkowski’s comprehensive approach to dealing with those challenges and her commitment to finding solutions. Our coalition welcomes the resources to modernize and upgrade shoreside infrastructure and better understand and address the effects of ocean acidification and climate change on marine life and coastal communities. This bill will also encourage workforce development, including entry-level opportunities for small-scale fishermen. The Network supports continued efforts to build a strong foundation for a thriving U.S. fishing industry and the Blue Economy, and we look forward to putting our efforts behind this bill until it becomes law,” said Robert C. Vandermark, executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network.
Bill Highlights:
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Investing in Energy and Shoreside Infrastructure
Tax Credits for Marine Energy Projects supports projects that produce electricity from waves, tides, and ocean currents.
Fishing Vessel Alternative Fuels Pilot Programprovides resources to help transition fishing vessels from diesel to alternative fuel sources such as electric or hybrid, and funds research and development of alternative fuel technologies for fishing vessels.
Rural Coastal Community Processing and Cold Storage Grant increases support for community infrastructure such as cold storage, cooperative processing facilities, and mariculture/seaweed processing facilities by establishing a competitive grant program through the Department of Commerce for rural and small-scale projects.
Working Waterfronts Development Act establishes a grant program for infrastructure improvements for facilities benefitting commercial and recreational fishermen, mariculturists, and the boatbuilding industry.
Boosting Maritime Workforce Development and Blue Economy
Maritime Workforce Grant Program establishes a Maritime Workforce Grant Program, directing the Maritime Administrator to award competitive grants supporting entities engaged in recruiting, educating, or training the maritime workforce.
Fishing Industry Safety, Health, and Wellness Improvement (FISH Wellness) Act expands the Coast Guard and CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Fishing Safety Research and Training (FRST) Grant Program to include projects supporting behavioral health in addition to the projects currently supported dedicated to occupational safety research and training.
Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act establishes at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five domestic NOAA Fisheries regions, as well as the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico regions. The ocean cluster model fosters collaboration between different sectors – including public, private, and academic – within a geographic region to promote economic growth and sustainability in the Blue Economy.
Supporting Sustainable and Resilient Ecosystems
Coastal Communities Ocean Acidification Act enhances collaboration on ocean acidification research and monitoring through ongoing mechanisms for stakeholder engagement on necessary research and monitoring. This provision would also establish two Advisory Board seats for representatives from Indian Tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia affected by ocean acidification and coastal acidification.
Vegetated Coastal Ecosystem Inventory establishes an interagency working group for the creation and maintenance of a comprehensive national map and inventory detailing vegetated coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. This inventory encompasses habitat types, species, ecosystem conditions, ownership, protected status, size, salinity and tidal boundaries, carbon sequestration potential, and impacts of climate change.
Marine Invasive Species Research and Monitoring provides resources and tools to mitigate the impact of invasive species and help limit their spread by authorizing research and monitoring grants for local, Tribal, and regional marine invasive prevention work. This includes training, outreach, and equipment for early detection and response to invasions.
Aniak (Amazon River Adventure via Creative Commons)
Alaska State Troopers who were called to the village of Aniak on Thursday for reports of gunfire found a home engulfed by flames and later found human remains inside, they said.
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Several people in the village had reported hearing random gunshots, although there were no reports of threats or anyone being shot at, said troopers spokesman Austin McDaniel. Aniak-based troopers and wildlife troopers were patrolling the village near the slough around 11:30 a.m. to try to find the source of the sporadic gunfire when they saw a house fully engulfed by flames, McDaniel said.
They worked with community members to suppress the fire, and later the remains of the homeowner were found inside, troopers said.
During the investigation, troopers identified the homeowner as the person suspected to be firing a gun, McDaniel said. The remains will be sent to the State Medical Examiner Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, McDaniel said.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the cause and origin of the fire.
Aniak is situated along the Kuskokwim River roughly 90 air miles northeast of Bethel.
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This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Tourism is an important part of life in Alaska. In fact, last year, tourism brought in nearly $158 million in revenue for the state.
As someone who’s lived in Alaska for over 35 years, it’s easy to see why tourists love traveling here. From the beautiful national parks to opportunities to see the northern lights, Alaska has something for everyone.
However, every year, I see many visitors make the same mistakes over and over. From expecting to drive everywhere to forgetting that some activities are seasonal, these are the six most common mistakes I’ve seen tourists make when visiting my home state.
Thinking Alaska is small and drivable
Alaska has a limited road network.
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Lisa Maloney
I’m always surprised by how many visitors think Alaska is small — but I guess if you’re used to seeing us tucked into a map inset right next to Hawaii, that makes sense.
In truth, Alaska is so big that if you split it into two states, both halves would be bigger than Texas. You can easily spend four to six hours — or more — just driving from one large community to the next.
However, Alaska has a shockingly limited road network for such a huge state. If we say a community is “off the road system,” it means you can’t drive there. Instead, you’ll have to catch a plane or, in some limited cases, a boat to get there.
Not learning the local vocabulary
In Alaska, we have lots of local lingo that can be helpful to know. For example, if someone says they’re going outside, they’re not just leaving the building — they’re leaving the state. To us, outside means anywhere that’s not Alaska.
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Another thing to remember is that we don’t typically use road numbers for our highways (no matter what your GPS tries to tell you). Instead, we use the names of highways.
Forgetting that some attractions and activities are seasonal
In Alaska, the northern lights can typically be seen between late August and late April.
biletskiyevgeniy.com/Shutterstock
Here in Alaska, some of our biggest attractions are only available for a few months of the year.
Two big ones to keep in mind are bear viewing season, which typically peaks with the salmon runs in July and August, and aurora viewing season, which runs from roughly late August to late April.
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Missing out on Alaska Native culture
The umbrella term for Alaska’s Indigenous people is Alaska Native. Most towns have at least one cultural center where visitors can learn about the Alaska Native traditions in that region.
These facilities are part visitor center and part museum, and offer a celebration of Native traditions and culture. I always recommend that tourists take the time to explore these centers.
Expecting the wildlife — or the weather — to be predictable
You never know where you might find wildlife in Alaska.
Lisa Maloney
Every year, Alaska tour guides field sincere questions like “When are the moose scheduled to show up?” That makes perfect sense in a controlled environment like a zoo, but Alaska’s wildlife are … well, wild … and come and go whenever they like.
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Our weather does pretty much the same thing, so if you’re determined to hide inside until the rain and wind stop or the sun comes out, you’ll miss out on a lot.
Dressing in layers can help visitors stay comfortable, no matter what the weather is doing. I recommend lighter layers in the summer and heavier layers in winter, but some sort of weatherproof outer layer is always a must.
Trying to do too much in one trip
When traveling to a new location, there’s a lot of pressure to visit as many destinations as possible. But if you never take a minute to enjoy just being here, you’re missing out on a big chunk of the Alaska experience.
Plus, having a little flex time in your schedule helps to accommodate inevitable weather days when excessive wind, rain, or rough seas keep you from doing planned activities. I recommend giving yourself two or three days in a community before moving on.
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:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/adn/B4HY456RDFCC7NNPF7EGXSCF5E.jpg "Troopers responding to reported gunfire in Southwest Alaska village find a house fire and human remains")
