Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Series
About the Wakefield symposia
The Alaska Sea Grant College Program has been sponsoring and coordinating the Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium series since 1982. These meetings are a forum for information exchange in biology, management, economics, and processing of various fish species and complexes, as well as an opportunity for scientists from high-latitude countries to meet informally and discuss their work.
For information on current and recent Wakefield symposia, see our main symposium web page and our archives. We also have a complete list of all Wakefield proceedings published since 1982.
The series is named in honor of Lowell Wakefield and his many contributions to Alaska's fisheries. Wakefield, who is regarded as the founder of the Alaska king crab industry, recognized that for the fishery to survive, superb quality seafood products must be provided to the consumer, and resource management must be based on the best available scientific data.
Since its inception, the Wakefield symposium series has addressed subjects that are timely and key to the understanding and management of commercially harvested marine species. Topics have included:
- Biology, ecology, and economics of king, Tanner, and Dungeness crabs; and rockfishes, pollock, flatfishes, and herring
- Genetics of subpolar fish and invertebrates
- Systems approaches, including management strategies for exploited fish populations, fishery stock assessment models, ecosystem considerations, and spatial processes and management of fish populations
- The effects of climate change on species and fishery management.
The Wakefield endowment
An enduring investment in North Pacific ocean resources
In 2000, Frankie Wakefield, Lowell's wife, made a gift to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to establish an endowment to continue the series that honors her husband's commitment to wise management and utilization of marine resources.
Your contribution to this endowment will make you a valued partner in the challenging and critically important effort to maintain and build the vitality of the living resources in the world's bountiful high latitude seas.
Some reasons to invest in the Lowell Wakefield Symposium Series
Fishery managers and policy makers must have credible, research-based information on which to base management decisions. The Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Series is the only high-latitude marine fisheries conference series in the world that convenes experts who share information about the complex biology and ecology of cold-water marine species.
Alaska's marine fisheries help feed the nation and world, and support Alaska's second-largest private industry—commercial fishing and processing. These vast fisheries also underpin the state's subsistence economy and provide the basis for a world-renowned sport fishery.
Social and economic health depend on wise management of the North Pacific marine resources. The Lowell Wakefield Symposium Series is aimed directly at helping fishery managers get the information they need to do their jobs effectively.
More good reasons to invest in the endowment:
- Internationally recognized for excellence and scope. More than 1,000 scientists from 30 nations have come to Alaska to focus their expertise on our key resource management problems.
- Presents the latest in fisheries-related research. The symposia provide an effective forum for researchers to present the latest research findings to resource managers entrusted with continuing robust and viable fisheries for Alaska and the nation.
- Represents a lasting educational investment in the future. Award-winning proceedings from the meetings have received national recognition for excellence. Peer reviewed and distributed worldwide, they are a valuable resource for management agencies and councils when making policy and management decisions. Our proceedings are also held in many prominent university libraries, and have served as textbooks to teach the next generation of decision makers.
- A cost-effective investment for corporations working in Alaska. Because of Alaska's education tax credit, gifts to the Lowell Wakefield Symposium Endowment through the University of Alaska Foundation can reduce your state tax bill. Please consult your tax advisor for details.
Your contribution will help guarantee the continuation of the Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Series. Contributions may be earmarked for the Wakefield Endowment or for a specific symposium. Contact Sherri Pristash at 907-474-6701 or fyconf@uaf.edu.
