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ORAL TESTIMONY OF 

 THE UNITED FISHERMEN OF ALASKA 



APRIL 24 1989 

 BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON 

 PUBLIC LANDS, NATIONAL PARKS AND FORESTS 

 US SENATE HEARINGS IN KETCHIKAN ALASKA 



Mr Chairman and Members of the committee 



Thank You for coming to Ketchikan and thank you for your interest in the 

 Tongass National Forest. 



The United Fishermen of Alaska has on its Board of Directors 

 representltlves of 23 commercial fishing organizations and three at large 

 members. Our member organizations span from the Bering Sea to Dixon 

 Entrance and include seven major fishing groups in Southeast Alaska My 

 name Is Jim Bacon and I live here in Ketchikan I have served on the UFA'S 

 Board as a representitive of the Southeast Alaska Seiners since 1986. 

 From Feb. 1988 to Feb 1989 I served as President , I am now Co-Chairmen 

 of our National Issues Committee. These titles just cost me money. I earn 

 my living purse seining for salmon in Southeast Alaska. 



Our concerns with regard to Tongass Forest Management express our 

 industry's concerns and have a direct bearing on our Jobs and our 

 livlihoods. The llfeblood of our commercial salmon fisheries flows in the 

 rivers and streams of Southeast Alaska. 90% of these salmon producing 

 systems lie within the boundrles of the Tongass National Forest. 



Much of the research on the interactions of fish in the forest has been 

 done by the U.S.F.S., and it is thanks to their efforts and the work of 

 National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

 •Alaska Department of Fish and Game and others that we know as much as 

 we do about the importance of streamslde protection Continued high 

 production of salmon depends on maintaining high quality habitat. With 



