Douglas Island Pink And Chum Incorporated

TO ENHANCE PRODUCTION OF HARVESTABLE SALMON STOCK IN THE JUNEAU AREA THROUGH OPERATION OF TWO FISH HATCHERIES.

HATCHERY PROGRAMS - DIPAC, AS A PRIVATE NON-PROFIT (PNP) AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE OF ALASKA, OPERATES TWO HATCHERY FACILITIES, MACAULAY AND SNETTISHAM, AND TWELVE REMOTE REARING AND RELEASE SITES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENHANCING THE STATE'S COMMON PROPERTY FISHERIES. THE STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME ISSUES PERMITS WHICH ALLOW DIPAC TO HARVEST A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE RETURNING FISH TO GENERATE REVENUE TO COVER OPERATIONAL COSTS. DIPAC'S GOAL IS TO CONTRIBUTE 70% OF ITS PRODUCTION TO THE COMMON PROPERTY FISHERIES AND 30% OF PRODUCTION TO THE COST RECOVERY HARVEST. DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD OF 2020 DIPAC'S CHUM SALMON RETURN WAS 1.4M FISH, WHICH WAS 132% OF THE PRE-SEASON FORECAST. THE CHINOOK AND COHO PROGRAMS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE VALUABLE SPORT FISHING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT JUNEAU, WITH AN ESTIMATED 6,600 AND 43K FISH RETURNING, RESPECTIVELY. THE SOCKEYE PROGRAM PRODUCED ADDED VALUE TO THE AREAS SOCKEYE GILLNET AND SEINE FLEETS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 38K ADULTS HARVESTED IN GILLNET AND SEINE FLEETS. OVERALL, DIPAC PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMERCIAL AND SPORT FISH HARVEST, WHICH WERE PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY THE CHUM PROGRAM THAT ACHIEVED A 59% PRODUCTION CONTRIBUTION TO COMMON PROPERTY FISHERIES.

VISITOR CENTER - IN 2020, DIPAC OFFERED VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO OVER 17,000 STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. DIPAC ALSO PROVIDES A FREE SERVICE TO THE JUNEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT BY DEVELOPING AND CARRYING OUT TWO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS (ONE IN THE FALL, ONE IN THE SPRING) THAT MEET DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR VARIOUS AGE LEVEL LEARNING. DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THESE PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY IN 2020. IN THE FALL PROGRAM, PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT SALMON ANATOMY, ECOLOGY OF SALMON ENVIRONMENTS, AND LIFE CYCLE. SECOND GRADE STUDENTS, IN THE SPRING, HAVE A SPECIALIZED PROGRAM ON MOLLUSKS (THE LARGEST PHYLUM IN THE OCEAN), BUT BEFORE THE MOLLUSK LESSON BEGINS, THEY ARE GIVEN A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF HATCHERY OPERATIONS AND MISSION. DIPAC DID NOT OFFER IN PERSON TOURS TO THE HATCHERY THIS YEAR, AND INSTEAD OFFERED VIRTUAL HATCHERY TOURS TO EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF SALMON AND HOW THE HATCHERY SUPPORTS THIS SUSTAINABLE FISHERY.