The fishing industry in Alaska is facing new challenges due to recent federal firings of essential scientific staff. This could not come at a worse time, as currently the fishing industry is dealing with declining fish pricing and the rising cost to stay in the business.
Economic Impact
Between 2022 and 2023, in just one year, there was near 2 billion dollar loss which gives insight into the challenges and economic complications that the fishing sector is facing. This strain doesn’t just affect the fishing industry in Alaska but could have a knock-on effect on the U.S. seafood market.
A Decline In Pricing
Seafood markets have globally seen a decrease in food pricing, leading to processors earning as much as 30% less when compared to previous years. This means that profits are declining, which has implications for the companies’ revenue and sustainability in the future. But that’s not the only negative factor.
Operational Costs
As fish is selling for less, manufacturers are already making less, but this comes at the same time as operational costs increases due to inflation. Inflation affects shipping, energy, and labor costs – which have doubled in the last four years for certain companies. This only further intensifies the problem.
Community Impact
Many coastal communities rely on fishing as a vital source of income to stabilize their economy. Cities like Saint Paul and King Cove have faced industry closures, which means the economy will only be further negatively affected.
Job Losses
Due to many of these factors, almost 7,000 jobs in the fishing industry have been lost. This has significant implications for the state of Alaska as so many of these communities have fish processing and catching as an integral part of their economy. This has only gotten worse as science-supported seafood industries are also faced with letting staff go.
Federal Firings
Exacerbating these economical problems – many jobs in the science-support fishing industries have also been cut. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has seen huge staff reductions, including a 5% cut at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. This affects stock assessments and future research.
The Importance of NOAA
NOAA is an integral part of the seafood industry, providing services like fishery management and stock assessments. Alaska’s fishing industry relies on these services to ensure the health of fisheries, and their sustainability will be brought into question going forward.
Stock Assessments
With fewer staff being able to work in many of the NOAA’s vital departments, their ability to perform stock assessments in a competent manner could be compromised. These assessments are important for fishing quotas and maintaining populations.
Scientific Destabilization
Many of the federal firings at the NOAA were scientists and biologists. Many important staff members were fired, including Jillian Celia, a key fish biologist from Chugach National Forest. Celia notes, “Removing 10% of staff makes a big difference when we’re already understaffed.”
Other Job Losses In The Industry
Many employees who were part of Tongass National Forest services have also been let go. With more than 160 of these essential employees losing their jobs, fish population monitoring and climate adaptation research will be noticeably impacted. Former NOAA leaders have stressed the importance of timely scientific data, which will now be affected.
Compounding Factors
The decline in profitability of the fishing industry, coupled with the loss of many employees, including those who provide essential scientific support, all have a compounding factor on the fishing industry as a whole. Further loss of profitability, compromised stock assessment, and the lack of crucial data could all follow soon.
The Future Of The Fishing Industry
As Celia observed, the terminations contribute to a “toxic” environment that will make efforts of collaboration between fishermen and researchers more difficult. Without scientific support, Alaska is at risk of major economic and ecological declines.
