Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Southwest Alaska Business Summit to Take up Fisheries Issues

Processors, harvesters and community development quota organizations will participate Feb.22 in Anchorage in discussions on fisheries, maritime economics and workforce needs at a regional business summit.


Both forums are scheduled for the third and final day of the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference economic summit at the Captain Cook Hotel.

The conversation on communities and the processing industry will be led by mayors Jerome Selby, Kodiak Island Borough; Stanley Mack, Aleutians East Borough; Dan O’Hara, Bristol Bay Borough, and Shirley Marquardt, city of Unalaska, along with processing companies operating in each area.

A second forum that day will focus on how industry, universities and communities can work together to meet fisheries, seafood and maritime workforce needs, SWAMC officials said.

Participating in the latter event will be Larry Cotter, chief executive officer, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association; Vince O’Shea, vice president, Pacific Seafood Processors Association; Stephanie Madsen, executive director, At-Sea Processors Association; Candice Bressler, workforce development program coordinator, Alaska Department of Fish and Game; Bob McDermott, port director at Naknek for the Bristol Bay Borough; and Oliver Holmes, representing independent harvesters in Kodiak