This week’s show was all about FISH and the slow rationalization-read PRIVATIZATION of that resource. In fact, fisheries are the only resource in the United States that is privatized! This week, my guests were:
Dr. Carol Ann Woody is a USGS Fishery Biologist based at the Alaska Science Center in Anchorage. Dr. Woody specializes in evolutionary ecology of fishes, conservation biology, predator/prey co-evolutionary relationships, molecular genetics, resource selection modeling and wildlife ecology. She is a past president of the Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.
Shawn Dochtermann is a 30 year commercial fisherman. When not fishing, he serves as vice president of the Alaska Jig Association and Secretary of the Crewmen’s Association based in Kodiak. Shawn is a member of the Alaska Independent Fisheries Marketing Association-a Bristol Bay salmon advocacy group.
Tim Smith is a commercial fisherman, Biologist and pilot. He is president of Nome Fishermen Association.
And joining us in segment 4, is Stephen Taufen. Stephen is a former high level corporate accountant, heroic whistle blower and founder of the Groundswell Fisheries Movement.
This is such an important topic that is completely undercovered and undereported if at all. Here are some great organizations that are making a difference:
Contact our legislature: Alaska State Senate and Alaska State House.
SHANNYN MOORE: JUST A GIRL FROM HOMER 
Very good show. It is crazy how we have allowed corporations, and not even American corporations (bad enough) control over us and our resources. There needs to be an uprising. This information really depresses me right now. I think I need an aspirin. Man we are in deep doodoo.
By: Poolman on December 12, 2009
at 8:23 pm
Wow. I wasn’t sure if I would find this show as interesting as I did. It blew me away. This topic is for ALL Americans AND everyone who live on this planet. Hope everyone makes it a priority to watch/listen to it.
By: Polly on December 12, 2009
at 9:02 pm
You can help spread the word by encouraging your friends and relatives to check it out before it gets buried by new stuff.
By: Man_from_Unk on December 17, 2009
at 7:07 am
Shannyn, I think this is probably the best program you have done so far.
I grew up in the 1960s on the Ohio River and we were told then to NOT eat any fish from the river because of mercury and other toxins…here I am in 2009, and we still can’t eat our wild fish.
So, we have fish farms here in Kentucky for talapia and catfish, and freshwater shrimp.
Our local wild fish here are poison!!!
We even have Atlantic sturgeon in our river here but we can’t eat anything out of the Ohio River.\
Something is seriously wrong.
By: justafarmer on December 12, 2009
at 9:38 pm
I don’t understand the panelists view that it is the federal government that caused the fisheries problem when in the next breath he says it’s privatization. Would like some clarification on that point.
By: Janet on December 12, 2009
at 9:38 pm
Janet…the federal government IS the problem…the federal government promoted privatization of the corporations and those corporations are NOT Alaskan and most times are not even USA corporations.
By: justafarmer on December 12, 2009
at 9:42 pm
it’s that “free market” thing that Sarah and the Tea Party are so fond of…
it’s working out sooo welll….
By: justafarmer on December 12, 2009
at 9:45 pm
Thanks.
By: Janet on December 13, 2009
at 5:33 am
love the Salmon Claus!!!
By: justafarmer on December 12, 2009
at 10:25 pm
Great show! The transfer pricing scheme seems completely ENRONish; buy fish at $1/lb. Then sell it to parent company at a loss @ .90/lb. Parent then sells to market at $10/lb…avoiding AK royalties and federal income tax! In fact…gets a tax credit on their “loss”!
Bernie Maddoff would be proud!
By: Martha Chase on December 12, 2009
at 11:10 pm
Thank you Martha and the others who got it – accounting schemes are available to multinational corporations that establish their rule over governments in the one arena important to them – profits. Pls note we just used example numbers, because what was important for listeners was to grasp the concepts. And that in official trade terms, a “reverse dumping” of US products occurs when we grant foreign controlled corps. to dominate over our fisheries. The US Trade Representative office (in office of US President) had a little trouble conceptualizing (or was it just admitting) this type of flow is as bad as when other nations dump cheap products on our markets etc. We hope to be back later to expand the concepts – knowing you got it. First, write your Congressional delegates on Health Care and cost of Drugs being a result of these tricks, for the sake of our living grandparents to babies in need. It is criminal Congress lets multinationals soak us so…. Holiday best to all. ~ Stephen of Groundswell
By: Stephen Taufen on December 14, 2009
at 6:27 pm
Thank you Mr. Taufen for explaining the corporate control factor so plainly and understandable. No wonder the State and the Federal governments seem passive to the poor people’s plight. It makes sense to me now.
By: Man_from_Unk on December 17, 2009
at 7:10 am
Best show yet!
By: marlys on December 13, 2009
at 12:51 am
You had me at 2%… Facts and figures matter.
Thankyou
By: lettersfromeurope on December 13, 2009
at 1:31 am
excellent show, as usual. Thank You!
By: Bones AK on December 13, 2009
at 1:35 am
More follow up on the path of the CDQs, Community Development Quotas from the Bering Sea Pollock Fishery is needed. It will be an eye opener for all Alaskan’s along the Yukon River into Canada, along the Western Alaska Coast from Bristol Bay up north to Wales in the Bering Strait. Seventeen years and very little fisheries related economic development has come from those millions and millions of dollars for the poor.
By: Man_from_Unk on December 13, 2009
at 4:28 am
I live in the lower 48, and have seen the specials on cable about the dangers Alaska Fishermen face, especially with the snow king crab industry. I’ve always tried to buy wild caught Alaska Salmon, and I found your show interesting, disturbing and quite informative.
Thanks for openeing my eyes! And thanks for the links at the end of the entry. We need to support these people in any way we can as consumers.
Your best show so far!
By: MacAndCheeseWiz on December 13, 2009
at 6:12 pm
Great show! New England commercial fishers are facing similar issues with four state governments and one federal government competing for control of the various fisheries. Fishing ground closures, limited entry regulations, and state & federal permit costs severely restrict newcomers to the industry. In a few years the food production conglomerates will likely control production and quality.
By: david on December 13, 2009
at 7:00 pm
This was very informative and very disturbing indeed. Thanks to you Shannyn and to your wonderful guests for a very powerful show. I certainly share your opinion that this is a concern for everyone, not just Alaskans and people who eat fish. Thanks for providing the links to find out what we as individuals can do.
By: SoCalWolfGal on December 14, 2009
at 11:44 am
Thank you Ms Moore!
In a few short weeks you have facilitated more discussion of things which are important to us than …
ummm…uhhh…
anyone I can remember.
Don’t have time to watch this whole show this morning… will finish tonight after work.
thank you again for making this available to those of us without TV-also, too.
By: alaskapi on December 16, 2009
at 5:20 am
Many thanks, Shannyn, for tackling a topic that truly is so lacking in both quantity and quality of coverage. One would think that there would be more of both, given how important fishing is to Alaskans. Thanks to your guests for putting things in terms the lay person can understand – great job, everyone!
I’m in full agreement with alaskapi in regard to both show content and availability. Your show is one of the few on television I can get really excited about these days, but my television reception is lousy.
By: ValleyIndependent Δ on December 17, 2009
at 7:20 pm