Subsistence, Food Security, & Alaska Fisheries

In Alaska, fisheries are not only about markets and exports. They are also about food, culture, community, and ways of life that have sustained people for generations. Voters should ask whether candidates understand the importance of subsistence and support policies that protect access to the fish and marine resources Alaska communities depend on.

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What's at stake

For many Alaska communities, fish are not just a product. They are a primary food source, a cultural foundation, and an essential part of community well-being. Subsistence harvest supports household nutrition, the sharing of food across families and generations, and the continuation of knowledge, practices, and traditions rooted in place. When access to fish declines, the effects are felt not only in freezers and smokehouses but in the health, resilience, and continuity of communities.

What a strong local seafood policy looks like:

Recognizing subsistence as a vital part of Alaska’s food security and community life
Protecting access to fish and marine resources that communities depend on for daily life
Supporting healthy fish populations and habitat so subsistence opportunities remain strong
Ensuring management decisions account for the needs of communities that rely on local harvests
Reducing barriers for people to harvest, process, share, and use local fish
Treating subsistence as an essential public benefit of healthy fisheries

Questions voters should ask candidates:

How will you help ensure that communities can rely on local fish for food and cultural continuity?
Will you support healthy habitats and strong fish populations needed to sustain subsistence harvests?
How will you make sure subsistence users and communities are meaningfully considered in fisheries decisions?
Do you believe food security in Alaska includes protecting access to wild local foods?
What steps will you take to support the long-term future of subsistence in communities?

Why a strong local seafood policy
matters to Alaska communities:

It supports household nutrition and food security
It helps sustain cultural continuity, sharing networks, and intergenerational knowledge
It strengthens community resilience and connection to place
It helps protect a way of life that remains essential in many parts of Alaska

Bottom line

Subsistence is a fundamental part of Alaska’s fisheries landscape. Voters should support leaders who understand that protecting fish means protecting food security, cultural continuity, and the long-term well-being of communities across the state.

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Fish First is a program of Alaska Marine Community Coalition, a fishermen-led organization working to support healthy fisheries and strong working waterfronts.