Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Fisheries, Water Quality Issues on Tap for Alaska Forum on the Environment


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.