A New Year’s Opening Message and Reflection on 2023
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Dear ARC Partners, Collaborators and Supporters,
On behalf of Alaska Research Consortium, I wish to acknowledge our past and present Board Directors, our Executive Director-Paula Cullenberg, plus all others joining us in the seafood future to make Alaska’s blue economy a force for positive change and community prosperity! To all those involved from here and across Alaska, we are honored to have your support and friendship. Please take a moment to review ARC’s 2023 Annual Report – incredible to think where we came from in just one year, and are committed to more in 2024! |
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■ We will continue to seek opportunities and partnerships for projects that support the Alaska seafood industry and seafood communities;
■ We intend to expand our efforts to develop additional seafood workforce trainings;
■ We will continue to advocate for government and industry support for Alaska seafood and mariculture projects that inspire Alaskans;
■ We will continue to support and celebrate our close relationship with the University of Alaska’s Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (KSMSC).
■ We intend to expand our efforts to develop additional seafood workforce trainings;
■ We will continue to advocate for government and industry support for Alaska seafood and mariculture projects that inspire Alaskans;
■ We will continue to support and celebrate our close relationship with the University of Alaska’s Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (KSMSC).
On behalf of ARC, thank you for your vital support! Here’s to a prosperous 2024!
Sincerely,
Thomas Lance
President, Alaska Research Consortium
Sincerely,
Thomas Lance
President, Alaska Research Consortium
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ARC spearheads Professional Ammonia Refrigeration Operator Education [Pro AROE]
In fall 2021, the Alaska Research Consortium was notified by Sen. Murkowski’s office that our request for Congressionally Directed Funding to develop and deliver an Ammonia Refrigeration Operator training program for Alaska seafood processors was successful. The seafood industry in both the Alaska Maritime Workforce Development Plan and Alaska’s Seafood Future Action Agenda identified this training as one of their highest priorities due to safety and regulatory concerns and the lack of trained refrigeration technicians in the workforce in Alaska.
ARC partnered with Alaska Sea Grant and iWorkWise, industry experts in hazardous operations in seafood plants to develop and deliver a new ammonia refrigeration operator training program in Alaska. Pro AROE, or Professional Ammonia Refrigeration Operator Education, serves seafood companies across the state looking for qualified operators.
ARC partnered with Alaska Sea Grant and iWorkWise, industry experts in hazardous operations in seafood plants to develop and deliver a new ammonia refrigeration operator training program in Alaska. Pro AROE, or Professional Ammonia Refrigeration Operator Education, serves seafood companies across the state looking for qualified operators.
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Ammonia Refrigeration Assistant Operator 1 was offered this past fall in Kodiak. Twenty-eight participants from 9 seafood companies (OBI, Leader Creek, Silver Bay, Peter Pan, North Pacific Seafoods, Pacific Star/E&E, UniSea, Yupik Girl Fisheries, Norton Sound Seafoods) working in communities across Alaska (Unalakleet, Dillingham, Naknek, Port Moller, Unalaska, Sitka and Kenai) participated in the class. Each participant completed six online modules, followed by a five-day intensive, hands-on class offered at the University of Alaska’s Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center with daily field trips to North Pacific, Silver Bay and OBI seafood plants. At the end of the class, each successful participant received a certificate as an Ammonia Refrigeration Assistant Operator 1. In 2024, Level 2 Assistant Operator will be offered and in 2025, Level 3 Operator will be offered.
ARC’s advocacy for and management of this program enhances the skilled workforce and sustainability of the blue economy across the state and serves to retain workers through professional development and career advancement. Videos Encourage Seafood Career Exploration
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ARC contributed to Maritime Works and other partners to support Alaska seafood career exploration videos. The four micro-videos represent priority occupations in the seafood processing industry and are ready to share with your networks. ARC board member, Matt Moir, with North Pacific Seafoods generously donated his time and NPS personnel in making the videos. Here are the links to each of the four:
• Seafood Plant and Production Management
• Refrigeration Tech
• Quality Control & Assurance
• Electrician
• Seafood Plant and Production Management
• Refrigeration Tech
• Quality Control & Assurance
• Electrician
Alaska’s Hub for Seafood and Mariculture Training and Research
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Alaska Research Consortium was formed in 2016 in response to an impending plan by University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to re-purpose or close the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (KSMSC). Located on Near Island, KSMSC is a unique facility whose purpose is outlined in Alaska State Statute 16.52 “create employment opportunities in the state’s fishing industry and other benefits to the state… by providing training, information, technical assistance, research and development…to enhance the effectiveness of the industry, and provide economic benefits to state citizens.”
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ARC’s advocacy and support of KSMSC led to renewed attention and support by UAF of this much-needed facility and mission. KSMSC is a hub of training for the seafood industry, fishermen and mariculture operations and is operated by Alaska Sea Grant. Melissa Good and Quentin Fong, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory faculty, serve on the ARC board of directors and ARC vice-president Michael Kohan chairs the Alaska Sea Grant Advisory Committee. The Center is moving in a positive direction!
TVEP contributions from seafood industry grow in 2022
Did you know that .16% of employees’ Unemployment Insurance contributions go to the state’s Technical Vocational Education Program (TVEP) fund? Managed by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the fund supports vocational and technical training across the state. ARC has been tracking the amount of funds contributed by seafood processing workers (over $700,000 in 2022) and advocates for use of these funds to support seafood workforce training.
2023 Financials
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New Members and Board Member
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Building a strong membership in ARC is important in identifying future priorities that support Alaska’s blue economy. As membership grows, this builds a constituency for workforce development and applied research that contributes to the sustainability of coastal Alaska. ARC offers tuition discounts in the Pro AROE program for membership and added 8 new members in 2023. In addition, Nick Mangini, one of Alaska’s first seaweed farmers and the mariculture liaison to the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference (SWAMC) joined the ARC board.
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ARC Members
E&E Foods/Pacific Star Seafoods Leader Creek Fisheries North Pacific Seafoods Norton Sound Seafood Products OBI Seafoods Silver Bay Seafoods UniSea, Inc Yupik Girl Fisheries Supporters and Partners Matson, Inc Alaska Sea Grant iWorkWise |
ARC Board Members
Tom Lance, President, resource consultant Michael Kohan, Vice President, Sitka Salmon Shares Susan Saupe, Secretary/Treasurer, Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council Cynthia Berns, Old Harbor Native Corporation Duncan Fields, attorney, fisherman Nick Mangini, seaweed farmer, SWAMC mariculture liaison Matt Moir, North Pacific Seafoods Jeff Stephan, fisheries advocate Jay Stinson, fisherman James Turner, OBI Seafoods Norm Van Vactor, former CEO, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corp Melissa Good/Quentin Fong, ex-officio, Alaska Sea Grant Paula Cullenberg, Executive Director |