Southeast Alaska 2020 Economic Plan (Part 2)

Southeast Conference’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2016-2020

This is all taken from the May 2016, 43 page plan that you can [find here]. The following are my highlights, although, everyone is encouraged to read through the whole document. Thanks to Rain Coast Data for preparing the Document.

Southeast Alaska Strategic Direction Action Plan

Transportation: 

Priority Objective #1: Minimize Impacts of Budget Cuts to AMHS, and Develop a Sustainable, Long-term Operational Model for AMHS

The Alaska Marine Highway System is at a critical juncture. To weather this storm of low oil prices, declining oil production and budget pressure it will need a carefully thought-out strategy that will provide essential transportation services to coastal communities. Since its first port of call, the Alaska Marine Highway has provided access to rural communities and generated substantial economic growth and improved quality of life for Alaskans.

Success over the long-term will require a carefully crafted combination of management, operations and funding strategies. Elements of this objective include:

• Design a new strategic operating
plan for AMHS
• Lower State’s general fund
subsidy percentage
• Fleet Renewal Plan
• Empowerment of the
Marine Transportation
Advisory Board
• AMHS Value Outreach

Objective #4: Ensure the stability of the existing regional transportation services outside of AMHS.

Support transportation services in the region. Water and air transportation are vital to the lives of most residents and to commerce between communities in and beyond the region. Only three communities (Haines, Skagway and Hyder) are directly connected to highways outside of the region. Alaska and Delta Airlines provide jet service to the region, and many smaller airlines provide connectivity and passenger service between the communities. The Inter-Island Ferry Authority is a public ferry system that provides daily service between Prince of Wales Island and Ketchikan. These transportation networks are an economic engine for the region, generating jobs, commerce, and tourism - while also increasing community wellbeing.

Energy:

Seafood and Ocean Products Industry:

Priority Objective #1: Mariculture Development. 

Support the development of the mariculture industry, including production enhancement, aquatic farming and restoration of invertebrates and aquatic plants. Support the Governor’s Alaska Mariculture Task Force. Increase shellfish production and the number of species from aquatic farms. Increase number of mariculture operations. Financially stabilize OceansAlaska to increase seed
production, quality and species. Support increased capacity for shellfish safety testing in the SE region.

Objective 2: Full Resource Utilization & Ocean Product Development.

Increase total revenue from existing commercial fisheries in the region by developing new, higher value products and markets from parts of the fish that are currently either thrown away or that go to lower relative value markets. Work with seafood processors to develop new products and identify businesses or entrepreneurs not currently in the seafood industry who can contribute to this effort.

Collaboration with private, state, federal and university researchers needs to be encouraged to identify and accelerate opportunities for commercialization of improved or new products. Support the development of new specialty products that utilize 100% of harvested seafood resources in order to create value-added products with the same resource, reduce discharge into waterways, and provide additional economic benefits to local economies.

Maritime:

Visitor Industry

Priority Objective #1 Market Southeast Alaska to Attract More Visitors
A collaborative regional visitor marketing effort to provide more marketing opportunities, improve brand awareness, strengthen the marketing reach, widen regional coverage of information, and
leverage limited resources. Enhance current activities throughout SE Alaska and create new ones that would draw interest from families with children to travel around SE Alaska.

Objective #2 Improve Access to Public Lands.
Provide more recreational opportunities, including developing more trails, increasing the number of
permits available, providing more outfitter guide days, and development of new wildlife viewing
options on federal lands. Work to change how federal land access and permitting works in Southeast Alaska. Support visitor industry permitting and development opportunities. Increase guided access to public lands by 20%. Protect our current resources andmaintain infrastructure.

Objective #7 Grow Cultural Tourism Opportunities.
Southeast Alaska has a rich and vibrant Alaska Native culture that traces its roots back 10,000 years. The visitor industry is incorporating some of this culture and history into its products,but in many ways cultural tourism is underdeveloped. In the regional business climate survey, when asked about benefits to their businesses, those in the visitor industry were less likely to recognize culture as a benefit to their industry than five other sectors. Support efforts to grow cultural tourism.

Timber Industry:

Read More: Southeast Alaska 2020 Economic Plan (Part 1)

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