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areas) on wilderness and non-wilderness Tongass lands, worth 

 some $7,000,000 in increased annual harvests. 



Impediments to aquaculture and mariculture projects are 

 primarily problems of state law. However, in the context of 

 addressing the economic needs of the region in the Tongass 

 legislation, there are three important things Congress can 

 do. The first is ensuring that fisheries issues are not 

 accorded a lower priority than timber production, a matter 

 addressed above. Second, Congress should set aside specific 

 areas in the Tongass to maintain and enhance fisheries 

 resources. Both the Mrazek bill in the last Congress and S. 

 346 include special management areas that Sealaska also 

 recommends for special management. Third, Congress should 

 earmark some of the money cut from the Tongass Timber Supply 

 Fund to invest as grants in aquaculture and mariculture 

 projects. The objective of this proposal is to expand the 

 traditional fishing industry and create a new mariculture 

 industry that will provide new jobs to replace those lost in 

 the timber industry. 



Sealaska is fully aware that many in the traditional 

 fishing industry view mariculture as a threat to traditional 

 fishing. Sealaska recommends mariculture grants on a 

 limited, pilot program basis to demonstrate that mariculture 

 can thrive without taking jobs or business away from 

 traditional fishing. Moreover, in view of developments in 

 mariculture in northern Europe and Canada, Alaska should 

 position itself to compete in this industry so as not to 

 lose potential jobs and revenues to other areas. 



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