The Rogue Wave on Alaska Fishery Woes

I'm more and more impressed with the quality and variety of Alaska bloggers. The Rogue Wave, which has great waterscapes in its header, has a primer on Alaska Fisheries. Get it all at The Rogue Wave. It begins like this.

Catch Shares:
Look Back at Wake Before Plowing Ahead

Catch Share Programs in Alaska

American Fisheries Act

Most Americans are unaware that the biggest fishery on earth, Alaska pollock, is entirely privately owned. It is split between onshore (mostly Japanese owned) and offshore (mostly Norwegian owned) sectors. Japanese owners of onshore facilities petitioned Senator Ted Stevens to assign them the majority of the Total Allowable Catch on the argument it would save American jobs (Although the onshore workforce was, and continues to be, 90% foreign nationals). Offshore interests came to the table and Senator Stevens and his staff acted as facilitators in a negotiation to split the resource between on- and offshore sectors. Senator Stevens was well respected and considered an authority on fish issues. He was able to work around the public process in framing AFA to a large degree, due to a perceived need to save American jobs. [The rest here.]