HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-05-24 Economic Development Commission SummaryECONOMIC DBVELOPMENT COMMISSION
May 24, 1990
Homer Electric Association Conference Room
Barry Thomson, Chairman
1. The meeting was not called to order because of the lack of
a quoruum. Commissionors did 'decide to go in~;o a work
session .and preceded wi~h the Project Report Presentation.
Commissioners .present were: Thomson and Wallingford
2. ?.r0__ject R.ep~rt Presenation:' Mr. Tom .Mears from the Cook
Inlet AquacultUre ~ssO~iati'On was the guest speaker.
Chairman Thomson explained that this was probably the last
meeting of the ~DC on the Future Of Kenai Study. He
introduced Mr. Meats and asked him to address the commission
on where he thinks the fishing industry is heading in the
next 15-20 years.
Mr. Meats first gave a brief introducion about the cook Inlet
Aquaculture Association and passed out their 1989 Annual
report.' Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association is a private non-
profit corporation organized ~under the laws of the State of
Alaska for the purpose of engaging in salmon ehancement work
in the Cook ~nlet Region. Most of their funding comes from
a fish tax paid by the 'commerical fishermen.
Mr. Mears then went on to explain several of the projects
the Association is currently involved with. (Please ref-~r
~:o the. 1989 Annual Roport Cook Inlot; Aquaculture Associa~:ion)
For the sake of the EDC study, Mr. Mears talked about what he
saw a.s somo future directions the industry might; take:
1. Improve the quali~y of the fish. More careful handling,
refrigeration sooner and lC'ss marks. The better grade
fish will be more of our market. We will need to upgrade
the quality of our fish in order to compete with foreign
markets.
2. Sooner or later there will be a cold storage facility
built.
3. The City and the Commerical Fishing Industry will have
'co find new ways to market our fish.
4. The industry needs to keep looking at ways to expand the
fishing/tourism season. Look at ways to use the fist%
processing plants for more than four months out of the
year. More promotion needed of the early and late run
'of silver salmon..
5. More hotel rooms are needed in Kenai.
Economic Development Commission
May 24, 1990
Page Two
when asked by Chairman Thomson about what he saw coming "down the
road" for the fishing industry, Mr. Meats felt that prices would
be coming down and/or be adjusted at least, the cost of permits
will be down, and there will be fewer people to work in the
industry. The processors are already complaining about not
having enough people to work. In general there will be fewer
people working in the fishing industry, and because the 'work will
be more technical, there will be fewer lower paying jobs and more
higher paying ones.
3. Chairman Thomson thanked Mr. Meats for coming and sharing
with the Commission. A copy of the final' r. eport, will be sent
to him.
Commissioners also reviewed a copy of "The State Tax Study:
How Alaska compares" that was in the packets.
The work sessions was closed at 10:lSpm.
Respectfully submitted,
Patti True~dell, Recording Secretary
for the City of Kenai