Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute
 

BBSRI is an independent research institute established by BBEDC in 1999 to undertake scientific research and educational programs that will lead to a greater understanding of the fish stocks, fisheries, and the environments of the Bristol Bay region. BBSRI is a non-profit subsidiary of BBEDC and its goals are to:
  1. Improve management of Area fish stocks by providing:
    · Leadership and focus on important fisheries issues.
    · Research and monitoring of fish stocks, fisheries and the environment.
  2. Increase the economic yield to locals from area fish stocks by catalyzing changes in the structure and management of Bristol Bay fisheries.
  3. Provide meaningful, long-term employment to local residents in research and resource management activities.
  4. Increase participation by locals in management of Area fish stocks by establishing in-house expertise and knowledge.
Funding for the Institute has come from contributions from BBEDC, the fishing and processing industries, universities, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Current BBSRI projects include:
  1. Conduct salmon catch sampling and genetic stock identification of catches.
  2. Operate the Port Moller offshore test fishery and provide daily updates to fishermen and processors.
  3. Operate Nuyakuk and Alagnak river counting towers.
  4. Operate Nushagak sonar project (late summer component).
  5. Conduct research to identify causes of the Kvichak salmon decline and ways of restoring the stock.
  6. Assess the economic and biological effects of a large overescapement to the Alagnak River.
  7. Apply genetic stock identification of Bristol Bay salmon to improve management of the fishery.
  8. An annual $5,000 scholarship for students pursuing a natural resources career.
  9. Evaluation of the economic performance of alternative harvest management strategies for the Bristol Bay salmon fishery.
  10. Evaluate proposed baseline studies and monitor the environmental permitting process for the Pebble Mine.
In addition to conducting specific research, the Institute has taken a leadership role in helping management agencies to implement or restore valuable research and monitoring programs in the Bay. In this role, the Institute annually leverages several hundred thousand dollars worth of valuable research/monitoring activities. The Institute also provides on-the-job training for local residents in fisheries research and management.


Forms

Community Impacts of Restructuring the Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery - (download)

Application Kit - (download)

Job Flyer-Fisheries Technician - (download)

Job Flyer-Seasonal Office Manager, King Salmon - (download)

Port Moller vessel charter call for bids - (download)

Summary of the 2004 field season:

In 2004, the Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute underwent a significant expansion with fourteen technicians employed across six projects located in various parts of Bristol Bay as well as at Port Moller. A central BBSRI office was established at Southwest Alaska Vocational Educational Center (SAVEC) in King Salmon for the coordination of all activities. The first BBSRI technicians were employed beginning 7 June and the final technicians left the payroll on 20 August. The work included commercial catch sampling, operating the Port Moller test-fishery, escapement tower counting on the Nuyakuk and Alagnak Rivers and escapement sonar counting on the Nushagak River. The largest project undertaken by BBSRI continues to be the commercial catch sampling. Over the course of the 2004 fishing season, BBSRI technicians sampled over 30,000 salmon caught in the commercial fisheries of Bristol Bay. This sampling primarily occurred in the Dillingham and Naknek areas, although samplers made regular trips to other processing plants.

Additionally, in 2004 we bagan testing a replacement of the traditional ADF&G MarkReflex© bubble form based system of data collection. This replacement system utilizes AllegroCE hand held computers (Juniper Systems) running a custom designed application in WinCE to collect data electronically in the field. This system has the potential to get data of management concern into the hands of decision makers much faster than the traditional ADF&G system. Plans are underway to have a rigorously tested system fully operational for all commercial catch sampling and Port Moller sampling (at a minimum) for the 2005 field season.

The purpose of the BBEDC is to:

Promote economic growth and opportunities for residents of its member communities through sustainable use of the Bering Sea resources.

Although there are already a multitude of organizations interested in the advancing our understanding of the environment and fisheries resources of the Bristol Bay region, BBSRI has a key role to play. BBSRI sees its role as leading and catalyzing efforts on difficult issues important to the region's inhabitants; effort that otherwise would not occur without BBSRI. In addition, BBSRI can provide an effective voice for the residents and communities in Bristol Bay in the often technical arena of fisheries and environmental management. The Institute does not see itself in direct competition for resources with governmental management agencies, but instead, sees itself as a catalyst to bring together often disparate agencies and organizations (each with different primary goals) to focus on specific issues important to the region.

Recent examples of the leadership and catalyst role the Institute has taken are with the efforts the Institute has put toward developing and leading the project to examine the options to restructure the Bristol Bay salmon fishery (www.bbsalmon.com) and the to develop a comprehensive research agenda to examine the causes of the decline of the Kvichak River sockeye salmon run.

Long-term Goals

  1. Improve management of Area fish stocks by providing:
    1. Leadership and focus on important fisheries issues, and
    2. Research and monitoring of fish stocks, fisheries and the environment.
  2. Provide meaningful, long-term employment to local residents in research and management activities.
  3. Increase participation by local residents in the management of Area fish stocks by helping to establish in-region expertise and by providing opportunities to collaborate with state, federal and regional agencies.







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