2010 In the News
A sampling of headlines and stories about Alaska Sea Grant and Marine Advisory Program (MAP) people, projects, and activities.
- Reid Brewer, Unalaska MAP agent, authored a newspaper article on his necropsy of a northern elephant seal that washed up on the beach near town on December 12, 2010. Story in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman [PDF; 196 KB], December 29, 2010.
- Ginny Eckert, UAF/SFOS Associate Professor and a lead researcher with the Alaska Sea Grant–supported Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) program, explained her team's king crab hatchery research in a story on Alaska Public Radio/KFSK-Petersburg [mp3 file; 2.7 MB], December 29, 2010.
- Glenn Haight, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program fisheries business specialist, was in the news recently describing the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program for Southeast Alaska shrimp fishermen. Story on KFSK FM, Petersburg [PDF; 112 KB], December 10, 2010.
- A new research grant received by Ginny Eckert, associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, to study how hatchery-born king crab may fare in the wild was highlighted in the online commercial fishing and seafood magazine FIS.com [PDF; 372 KB], December 10, 2010.
- Gary Freitag, the MAP agent in Ketchikan, helped return a rehabilitated seal to Southeast waters. Story in the Ketchikan Daily News [PDF; 504 KB], November 13, 2010.
- Reid Brewer, the MAP agent in Unalaska, helped coordinate the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference that took place in Unalaska. Story in the Alaska EPSCoR newsletter [PDF; 242 KB], Fall 2010.
- Reid Brewer, MAP agent in Unalaska, authored a column on the status of sea otters around the state. Column in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman [PDF; 164 KB], October 27, 2010.
- Rodger Painter, longtime Southeast Alaska shellfish farmer and champion of Alaska Sea Grant and its Marine Advisory Program, has penned an editorial running in many newspapers around the state supporting community-led aquaculture development. Story in the Anchorage Daily News [PDF; 260 KB], November 7, 2010.
- NOAA fisheries biologist Mandy Lindeberg's new book, Field Guide to Seaweeds of Alaska, is making news in the media, with a story in the Dutch Harbor Fisherman [PDF; 109 KB], October 6, 2010.
- Sea Grant Aquaculture Specialist Ray RaLonde's new shellfish mariculture project aims to increase the value of Southeast Alaska's oyster and other farmed shellfish by ten percent each year over the next several years. Laine Welch's Fisheries Report in the Anchorage Daily News (story on page 2) describes more [PDF; 334 KB], October 9, 2010.
- The donation of $10,000 by a major U.S. seafood supplier to the Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) program is making headlines in places such as the San Jose Mercury News [PDF; 214 KB], October 4, 2010; Anchorage Daily News [PDF; 219 KB], October 5, 2010; and World Fishing [PDF, 232 KB], October 1, 2010.
- Alaska Sea Grant receives some $1 million in state and federal grant money for research. Story in Fishermen's News [PDF; 124 KB], September 29, 2010.
- Santa Monica Seafood's recent donation to support king crab research at Alaska Sea Grant's Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) Program is making news in fishing trade media and other outlets. Stories in Fishermen's News [PDF; 136 KB], September 29, 2010, and FishNewsEU [PDF; 232 KB], September 30, 2010.
- Kate Wynne's recent receipt of the NOAA Prescott Award was highlighted in several coastal newspaper, including the Cordova Times and the Arctic Sounder. Story in Alaska Newspapers [PDF; 168 KB], September 16, 2010.
- AKCRRAB scientists collected wild juvenile crab as part of their ongoing studies to learn how to raise king crab in hatcheries. Story in the Fishermen's News Online [PDF; 172 KB], August 31, 2010.
- Unalaska MAP agent Reid Brewer spent time recently with National Public Radio reporter Elizabeth Arnold, who produced a nearly one-hour piece on Reid's interest in octopus. Listen to Encounters Octopus on Public Radio Exchange (PRX). A free trial membership is required to hear the entire story.
- MAP marine mammal specialist Kate Wynne discussed her necropsy of a dead fin whale in Kodiak. Story on KMXT radio [Quicktime file; 1.7 MB], August 31, 2010.
- The Turnagain Times reports the success of the upstart business "Sweet and Spicy, Made with Love," a homegrown business that recently launched a line of new sauces and dressings. A key to the business' success was the help provided by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. MAP involvement started when the owner attended the Better Process Control School to learn the requirements for producing acidified foods. MAP provided assistance on recipe development, tested the prototype products, and provided feedback that helped the company avoid potential problems. MAP also provided technical assistance on packaging and process equipment, and provided a nutritional label for the products. Story in the Turnagain Times [PDF; 576 KB], July 17, 2010.
- Southern Mississippi's Sun Herald reports on the launch of a peer listening program to help people affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill express their emotions and difficulties following the spill of more than 100 million gallons of oil in the region. The peer listening program is being run by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program personnel who traveled to the Gulf Coast following the spill in May suggested the idea as a way for the consortium to help the people of the region. Story in the Sun Herald [PDF; 255 KB], July 15, 2010.
- MAP seafood marketing specialist Quentin Fong was among a team of experts who traveled to Togiak recently to teach local entrepreneurs how to improve the value and brand recognition of their salmon. Story in the Bristol Bay Times [PDF; 68 KB], July 7, 2010
- Petersburg MAP agent Sunny Rice helped facilitate an Alaska Sea Grant study on the economic and social impact of sea otters on commercial shellfish fisheries in Southeast Alaska. Story in the Bristol Bay Times [PDF; 312 KB], June 17, 2010; see "Otter counts."
- Gary Freitag helps Gastineau Guiding Company bring science to Alaska's summertime visitors. Story in Chicago Daily Herald, reprinted from the Juneau Empire [PDF; 392 KB], June 26, 2010.
- Unalaska-based MAP Agent Reid Brewer gathered local scuba divers to help elementary students see marine life firsthand. Story in Dutch Harbor Fisherman [PDF; 88 KB], June 2, 2010.
- Ketchikan MAP agent Gary Freitag works with scientists from the Smithsonian to find and identify marine invasive species in Southeast Alaska. Story in Ketchikan Daily News [PDF; 828 KB], May 29, 2010.
- The online magazine Seafood Business reports on the research ongoing at the Alaska King Crab Research Rehabilitation and Biology Program. Story in Seafood Business [PDF; 264 KB], May 1, 2010.
