The success of science based management in Alaska is emphasized in a newly released report. “Conserving Alaska’s Oceans,” was prepared by Natural Resources Consultants, a research organization based in Seattle, Washington and released by the Marine Conservation Alliance. The report outlines 30 years of improved ocean conservation in the waters off Alaska with recommendations for future action. The “Alaska Model” has been cited as a leading example of science-based management. In Alaska catch limits do not exceed the harvests recommended by science advisers, and there are no overfished stocks of fish. Alaska produces more than 50% of the nation’s seafood.

The report points out the need for continued vigilance, especially with the growing concern about the impact of climate change on oceans ecosystems. The report makes ten recommendations for continued improvement, including the need to address climate impacts, embrace the goals of ecosystem based fishery management, and the need to strengthen science programs to address future uncertainty.

Download the full report here.