Legislative task force meets to address concerns throughout Alaska's seafood industryANCHORAGE, Alaska - Struggles around insurance for fishing boats and pack loans for small-scale processors were just some of the topics addressed during a meeting between state senators and various members of Alaska’s seafood industry.
The task force has been meeting since September with the expectation of wrapping up this Thursday. Senator Gary Stevens said the goal of the meeting is to create as many bills as possible to assist the state’s fishing industry in getting them through the legislative process. Stevens said the task force was born out of a “perfect storm” of issues facing the state’s seafood industry, from plants being sold to competition with Russia who are farming fish, as well as processing facilities closing, leaving communities such as King Cove and the Pribilof Islands with no processors at all.
Chris Hanson, a Sitka-based freezer troller, shared the story of having to close his direct marketing company due to the increasing issue of a lack of cash flow, as traditional lenders tend to shy away from the particular risk profile.