Overview
A New Direction, A Better Course, Putting Alaskans First
I started this campaign asking people to imagine Alaska the way it can be - independent, self-reliant, and with healthy, tight-knit communities. It’s a place where you stand on your own feet, on your own deck, and take care of your own family.
50 years ago, fish traps threatened our fisheries and we became a sovereign state to control our resources. You should be free to take the risks that fishing has always entailed and not worry that government is going to “rationalize” your boat out of the water or give our fish to Outside corporations.
During the time I spent as a deckhand in Bristol Bay, I learned to see each boat as a small family business and fishing as a way of life that can be passed from generation to generation. That’s why I’ll be where I’ve always been - on your side, standing up for your interests, because it’s the right place to be and the right thing to do.
Sustainable Fisheries
We need to:
- Protect fish stocks and habitat.
- Watch out for everything from climate change to unsafe mining developments to bycatch.
- Fisheries management based on sound science, sustained yield and maximum benefit.
Free Market Competition
I believe that:
- The market, not the government, should determine who fishes and where they sell their catch.
- Leave allocation decisions to fisheries boards, not politicians.
- Promote wild Alaskan seafood through the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
Fishing Families and Coastal Communities
We need to ensure:
- Affordable health care for Alaska’s fishing families.
- Low-cost energy and local renewable energy sources.
- Loans and training for future generations of fishermen.
