Several seafood-related issues, from the Bristol Bay
watershed assessment to marine debris cleanup and Chinook salmon run declines,
are on the agenda for the 15th annual Alaska Forum on the Environment, Feb. 4-8
in Anchorage.
Michelle Ridgeway of Oceanus Alaska will discuss cruise ship
routes, wastewater toxins and their effects on wild salmon and other
subsistence food resources on the afternoon of Feb. 4.
Dennis McLerran, administrator for EPA Region 10, will
deliver a keynote address to the forum on the afternoon of Feb. 5 at the
Dena’ina Convention Center.
Earlier in the day the EPA’s Rick Parkin will offer a status
report on the Bristol Bay watershed assessment.
Also on the forum agenda are several talks on cleaning up
marine debris coming ashore in Alaska from Japanese tsunami, a fish and water
quality report for Alaska’s hard rock mines, climate change impact outreach,
air quality monitoring, and paralytic shellfish poisoning,
Rachel Lord of Cook Inletkeeper will present an update on
the Alaska Clean Harbors program for improving waste management and reducing
pollution at Alaskan harbors.
Also on the agenda is the semi-annual meeting of the Prince
William Sound Oil Spill Recovery Institute’s advisory board. The institute was
established by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to fund and carry out research and
development and education on Arctic and sub-Arctic oil spills; spill response
technologies; and the assessment of impacts to the environment, economy and
lifestyles of Alaskans.
The complete agenda and registration information on the
forum are at www.akforum.org.