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Bosnia Deforestation and Commercial Timber Assessment
Final ground assessments in Bosnia were completed with the
protection of NATO forces. Data was corrected for geometric warping
and assessed for postwar deforestation. Results show deforestation
in Bosnia due to war activities is mostly in small acreages concentrated
around villages but taken all together it is significant. The
final report will be used to focus efforts of international reconstruction
and reclamation efforts in Bosnia by the United Nations and the
World Bank.
Harry Bader and Dara Fell
Developing Recreational Trails
Recently U.S. federal agencies decided to expand recreational
trail and road works in Alaska. We sampled vegetation and identified
soil characteristics on Porcupine Dome in Interior Alaska to assess
the impact of recreational trail development in subarctic, alpine
environments. There was a reduction in species richness and an
increase in percent vegetative cover by woody species and forbs.
Findings were consistent with arctic tundra under similar disturbances.
Harry Bader
Regional Economic Modeling
In this study a regional economic model of the Norton Sound
Red King crab fishery was developed to evaluate the economic impact
of regulatory changes to the Norton Sound red king crab fishery.
A recent change in the fishery's regulations led to a fundamental
change in the way the fishery is prosecuted. The original fleet
of long distance, highly capitalized vessels was replaced by small
local vessels primarily from the Nome and Yukon Delta regions.
The localization of the fleet has not only created direct employment
opportunities for the local residents but also contributed to
the local economy in general. The results of the regional economic
model indicate that the 1994 fishery, an industry in its infancy,
was able to contribute over one-half million dollars in income
to an economically depressed region of Alaska where few local
industries exist and the prospects for developing new industries
are dim. Furthermore, model results suggest the regional economic
contribution nearly doubled in 1995.
Joshua Greenberg, Bill Natcher, Mark Herrmann
Evaluating the Economics of Pot Limits in the Adak Brown
King Crab Fishery
This study focused on an economic evaluation of the proposed
pot limits for the Adak brown king crab fishery. Among the reasons
cited for considering pot limits has been a concern that declining
fishery harvests indicate declining stock abundance. There is
also concern that the large number of pots carried by some vessels
keep smaller operations out of productive fishing grounds. However
study results indicated that due to specific fishery characteristics,
pot limits were not advisable and in fact may be harmful to the
future productivity of the fishery.
Joshua Greenberg and Mark Herrmann
Effects of Management Policies in Alaska Crab Fisheries
The past two decades have been a period of tumultuous change
in Alaska's crab fisheries. This period has seen dramatic expansions
and declines in crab stocks accompanied throughout by a rapidly
growing commercial harvesting sector. Fishery managers have been
challenged to develop management strategies that protect the crab
stocks while supporting the commercial fishing industry. This
study focuses on the two most commercially valuable Alaska crab
fisheries, the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery and the Bering
Sea snow crab fishery. The analysis is intended to provide fishery
managers and industry participants with insights into effects
or possible effects of various management strategies and assist
future fisheries management.
Joshua Greenberg
Studying Recreational Territories
A change in the pattern of fishing on Alaska's Gulkana River
was noted in the previous year. In the earlier pattern of use,
fishermen would "capture" the primary fishing holes
by setting up elaborate territories and defending them. Thus,
people would compete for the limited number of primary holes (places
where the king salmon would hold prior to moving up stream). Once
a primary hole was "captured", the party would stay
there for their two to three day visit.
The new pattern is to fish nearly all primary and secondary holes
for a short period and then move on. The anglers then camp wherever
they are at the end of the day. This past year's observational
data both confirmed this new pattern and tested the "softness"
of the new territories in terms of either minimally defending
them or moving on when others invaded the area. This "softness"
was confirmed. Cooperative is more descriptive of the new style
of territory. It was interesting that several primary holes did
not have anyone camping on them during the July 4th weekend--a
period of peak use and competition for fishing.
New fishing regulations for 1997 may encourage more use during
times when guides are not allowed to use the river. The observations
for 1997 will focus on these times.
Alan Jubenville
Advancing Extreme Life Systems
The problems of obtaining adequate pure drinking water and
disposing of liquid and solid waste in the Arctic have led to
unsanitary and socially unacceptable conditions. Advanced Life
Systems for Extreme Environments (ALSEE) provides a solution by
applying NASA developed technologies in a holistic approach to
eliminate the honey bucket and open lagoon.
Discussions are continuing with state government and Ilisagvik
College in the North Slope Borough. We are emphasizing the controlled
environment agriculture component of the project. Plants and finfish
(talapia) are an important part of water purification systems.
Additionally, they provide fresh vegetables and flowers in an
area where both are of poor quality and expensive. Nutrition is
very important in remote villages and availability of fresh, high
quality products may help improve diets. There is also a unique
marketing opportunity for vegetables, flowers, and finfish from
the frozen north.
Carol E. Lewis and David L. Bubenheim
Marketing Cooperatives in Alaska
The objective of this project is to educate and develop services
for producers and processors interested in forming marketing cooperatives.
We began our work in Delta Junction with several dairy farmers.
We also worked with Wrangell residents interested in a boat haulout
and dry dock, and an artists cooperative. Most recently, sponsored
by the Alaska Economic Development Center, we went to Unalaska
to help the Unalaska Fisherman's Association begin a cooperative
to lease a multifunction seafood processing plant. The latter
was the only group who formed a cooperative to accomplish their
objective.
Cooperatives are often misunderstood as a vehicle that can
be used to obtain grants. Our group strongly emphasizes that a
cooperative is a business. It is only as strong as its members
because the members own the cooperative. Therefore, the members
must understand their own businesses, their own business objectives,
and their own financial, cash and product flow status before they
enter into a cooperative business with others. Importantly, the
group that wants to act cooperatively must have a very specific
objective and the objective must be within the means of the group
to accomplish. The Unalaska group knew their own situations, they
had a very simple objective: process finfish in the round and
export them in an existing marketing chain. The objective was
well within the means of the group. The Unalaska Fisherman's Association
should be on their way to success.
Carol E. Lewis, Annette Johnson, Hans Geier
Alaska Grown Products
The classroom is used as a part of testing consumer acceptance
of Alaska Grown products. In NRM 310: Agricultural Concepts, we
have conducted sensory panels, prepared marketing strategies,
and created logos for Alaska honey, carrots, barley, pancake mix,
salsa, and tomatoes. Most recently we included processed seafood
products. Pollock fillets enhanced with a whey product only and
a combination of a whey and sodium injection were evaluated by
classes in Fairbanks and Palmer and within the general populace
in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Palmer. The objective of the injection
was to firm the fish fillets making them acceptable for use in
the frozen, breaded fillet market. The fillets we served were
steamed in trays to eliminate any confounding taste from breading.
The preferred mix was the combination of whey and sodium. The
product is a predecessor to injecting arrowtooth flounder. This
flounder is a soft fish which presently has a low market value.
When it is used at all it is used in surimi.
Carol E. Lewis, John M. French, Joshua A. Greenberg
Mining and Forestry Joint Agreement
Negotiations, begun in early 1995 between the University of
Alaska and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have culminated
in a preliminary memorandum of agreement between the two institutions
to develop research and demonstration projects in forestry and
mining. The objective is to use advanced technologies to enhance
the value-added timber industry in Alaska and to develop either
`smaller' or more remote mineral deposits that are not now feasible
to mine. In both industries where supply sources are remote, energy
is a major cost factor. Waste is also a problem. The two institutions
will use their knowledge of raw material supplies, technology
development, and community economic development to enhance technology
and technology transfer to industry in Alaska.
Carol E. Lewis and Robert Trent
Economic Feasibility Studies
A `recipe' for conducting and completing economic feasibility
studies was developed and tested through two economic feasibility
studies completed for the cities of Wrangell and Shaktoolik. The
first determined that a boat haulout and dry dock could be constructed
and operated in Wrangell with a slight margin of profitability
if favorable loan rates could be obtained. The second determined
that it was not feasible to construct a combined fish and reindeer
processing plant in Shaktoolik primarily because of uncertainty
in supply of reindeer and competition in fish processing. Research
results showed that the community must want to pursue economic
development and community members must be an integral part of
the planning and implementation. The researcher must be cognizant
of the community economic and lifestyle profile. Finally, the
plan the community and researcher complete must be realistic in
its expectations. The researcher should not lead the community
into believing it can complete a project just because it wants
to do so.
Christina A. Young (Bell) and Carol E. Lewis