I would like to thank Alaska Marine Conservation Council for their dedicated work to educate and better prepare Alaska’s next generation of commercial fishermen. Along with other representatives from Homer, I was able to attend their Alaska’s Next Generation of Fishermen Spring Educational Tour.  

A group of young fishermen traveled to the Seafood Expo of North America to better understand wild Alaska’s seafoods place in international markets, Washington D.C. to build fisheries policy knowledge and to Slow Fish in New Orleans to meet with scientists, chefs, fishermen and food businesses to build upon the “Slow Fish” movement which focuses on the ecological, economic and political challenges facing fisheries.  

It is vital the next generation of fishermen and fisheries leaders understand and engage in the seafood marketplace and policy arenas which shape our livelihoods and affect our coastal communities.

Thanks also to Hannah Heimbuch, AMCC’s Community Fisheries contact in Homer, for being an instrumental and inspirational leader in this project.

Claire Neaton