Community Development
Atka, a community in the Aleutian Islands, relies on commercial fishing as its primary source of employment.
More than 75% of Alaska's 650,000 residents live on the coastline. Other than the Anchorage-Kenai Peninsula region, most of the 100+ coastal communities in Alaska are not road-connected. Salmon, herring, halibut, and black cod fishing are the economic backbone of many communities. Tourism and shellfish aquaculture are growing sources of economic diversification, as is seafood processing.
Alaska's coastal residents depend on the marine and freshwater resources of their regions for their cash income, subsistence economy, and cultural and recreational well-being. Sustainable use of marine resources is critical to the future of coastal Alaska. Marine Advisory Program offices are located in nine coastal sites and work closely with local residents to increase economic diversification and to conserve these resources through access to technical assistance and training. Our goals in community development include:
- Assist with development of coastal economies that relate to marine resources.
- Assist in capacity-building to increase local skills and self-sufficiency.
- Promote stewardship of coastal resources through research, teaching, and public service.
For more information contact
- Paula Cullenberg, MAP leader and coastal community development specialist
Links to community development information from MAP
Future Alaskans in Fisheries and Marine Science
- (www.sfos.uaf.edu/future
) Fisheries and marine scientists and managers are employment opportunities in rural Alaska. A new website is dedicated to helping students, educators and employers support more young Alaskans pursuing these careers.
- Capacity Building of Alaska Natives and Rural Alaskans in Fisheries and Marine Science—October 2006
- Capacity Building of Rural Alaskans in Fisheries/Environmental Monitoring and Research—January 2005
- Sharing the Sea: Alaska's CDQ Program
