Stories

Credit cooperative backs Alaska fishermen training

Commercial fishing vessels head out to sea near Chignik Lagoon. Photo by Deborah Mercy/Alaska Sea Grant
Commercial fishing vessels head out to sea near Chignik Lagoon. ĚŔÄ·ĘÓƵ photo by Deborah Mercy/Alaska Sea Grant.

By Katie Straub

Getting started in commercial fishing isn’t easy. New fishermen are met with high operating costs, limited entry opportunities and an abundance of risk.

Northwest Farm Credit Services recently gave $450,000 to Alaska Sea Grant at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to fund several programs supporting the next generation of Alaska’s commercial seafood harvesters. Ginny Eckert, Alaska Sea Grant director, praised Northwest FCS for stepping up to support the businesses and communities served by both organizations.

Northwest FCS’s gift will support FishBiz — a website designed to provide tools for managing the business side of a fishing operation. The site is organized to guide fishermen every step of the way through the four major phases of a fishing career. It provides business management tools, as well as links to additional resources to help fishing business owners.

With more than 34,000 website downloads so far, FishBiz is a valuable resource for fishermen at every stage of their careers. With the generous support of Northwest FCS, Alaska Sea Grant can now add new content to the website. 

Participants in the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit use ice cube trays to learn about the center of gravity and stability in fishing vessels. Photo by Dawn Montano.
Participants in the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit use ice cube trays to learn about the center of gravity and stability in fishing vessels. Photo by Dawn Montano.

Northwest FCS’s gift will also support:

  • Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit, a business networking event providing financial management, marketing and leadership training for new and aspiring commercial fishermen.
  • FishBiz On the Water App, a mobile app being developed to provide business management and recordkeeping tools for fishing business owners.
  • Business of Fishing Workshop, a class for new and established business owners with industry-specific management best practices.

Northwest FCS’s mission is to support agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. As a member cooperative, they are devoted to charitable giving and investing in the communities they serve. In 2020, Northwest FCS committed $10 million to support universities, community colleges and trade programs.

“As part of our commitment to improving the lives of our customers, communities and the industries we serve, Northwest Farm Credit Services is excited to invest in these important University of Alaska projects,” said Joe Bratt, Northwest FCS senior vice president for western Washington. “I’d like to extend our appreciation for the great work Alaska Sea Grant does for our fishing industry. We’re proud to partner with UAF to achieve great things for the businesses and fishermen we serve.”

As one of 34 Sea Grant programs in the nation, Alaska Sea Grant provides research, education and outreach via Marine Advisory agents who live and work in eight coastal communities across Alaska. Sea Grant’s Marine Advisory agents work with Alaskans to sustain healthy coastal economies, communities and ecosystems. They do this through collaborative projects, classes, workshops, training, applied research and other methods of technical assistance.