Alaska is facing a growing problem of fisheries access. Since limited entry programs were implemented in state commercial fisheries, permit holdings by rural residents local to their fisheries have declined by 30%. In federal fisheries, the trend is similar with small rural communities in the Gulf of Alaska experiencing a 53% decline in individual fishing quota (IFQ) holdings. The average fisherman today is over 50 years old, a decade older than the average of a generation ago. This “graying of the fleet” and loss of local access to commercial fisheries threatens the healthy succession of fishing as an economic and cultural mainstay in Alaska’s communities, and creates a public policy concern for Alaska.

This study sought to better define the problem of the graying of the fleet, and to assess and develop alternatives that will help address it. We have completed 130 interviews with fishermen and over 800 student surveys and have presented results in Alaska, the contiguous United States and in several other countries. Stay tuned for final products including a white paper with policy recommendations, animations depicting key narratives, and public service announcements on statewide radio sharing advice for young and new fishermen.