Keeping plastics out of Alaska’s waterways and off of its beautiful beaches can begin with each person’s decision to use and dispose of plastic mindfully, as well as choose alternatives
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On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of Japan, and the tsunami that subsequently struck Japan caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. This natural disaster resulted in approximately 16,000 deaths, hundreds of thousands of evacuees, and vast devastation to buildings and infrastructure. In addition to this human loss and suffering, the tsunami substantially exacerbated a global pollution problem that threatens wildlife, the environment, the economy, navigation safety, and potentially human health: marine debris.
The tsunami carried approximately five million tons of debris from the inundation zone into the ocean, of which 70% sank close to shore. The remaining 1.5 million tons of debris drifted into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in large amounts of debris washing up on North American shores. Nat’l Oceanic & Atmospheric Admin. (NOAA),
Fisheries budget stays afloat thanks to license fees December 31st, 2020 |
As Alaska faces its toughest budget squeeze ever, the state s commercial fisheries are set to get a bit of a breather. But it is due more to fund swapping than lawmakers largess.
For the commercial fisheries division, the largest within the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the preliminary FY2022 budget released by Governor Mike Dunleavy reflects a slight increase to $72.8 million, compared to nearly $68 million last year. I think we did really well this year, said Sam Rabung, commercial fisheries division director, speaking last week at a United Fishermen of Alaska webinar. Where we re at right now, the legislature actually restored many of the cuts that we sustained in FY20 and the governor didn t veto all of them so we got some funds back in FY21,
Law targets plastic trash in ocean
ELLSWORTH
Legislation aimed at reducing plastic ocean debris, which was co-sponsored by Maine’s two U.S. senators, was signed into law this month.
The bipartisan Save Our Seas 2.0 Act was introduced in June to tackle the problem of plastic waste on a global scale by spurring innovation and international cooperation. The legislation builds on the Save Our Seas Act, which was signed into law in October 2018 and reauthorized NOAA’s Marine Debris Program.
Save our Seas 2.0, among other provisions, establishes a Marine Debris Foundation and a prize competition to encourage fresh ideas on removing and preventing plastic waste. The law directs federal agencies to prioritize marine debris removal as well as to encourage and advise other nations on their efforts. It also improves domestic infrastructure to prevent marine debris through new grants and studies of waste management and mitigation.