What Alaskan Fishermen Can Teach Us About Climate Change and Hope

Mountains or ocean? Ocean gets me every time and filming this episode of Made In America took me places I never imagined (see unscripted pod of whales at 14:12). As fisherwoman Linda Behnken told me, “Alaska is the ultimate wild place.” It really does feel untouched by humanity. “I think people see Alaska as a place where there's still a chance to do it right,” says Behnken.

Alaska has a front row seat to climate change and the fishermen who spend their lifetime on its waters are “the canaries in the coal mine,” according to Eric Jordan, captain of F/V I Gotta.?

With more coastline than every other state combined and over 40% of America’s surface water, Alaska’s response to the changing climate will impact the world. Alaska brings in two-thirds of America’s seafood, that’s 5 billion pounds of product worth $2 billion annually, not to mention global exports reaching 100 countries, topping $3 billion in annual revenue.?

The good news is that conservation is in the Alaska state constitution — if you cannot run a fishery sustainably, it will be shut down. And they take that mandate to heart. As 74-year-old Eric Jordan, a self-identified conservationist, pet owner “who really loves his kitties,” and lifelong salmon troller explains, “Fishermen, we have the seven steps of survival that we all know about. The first step is recognition. Some of us have recognized the changes. The second step, inventory. What are the resources we need to deal with this problem, and to deal with the changes already here and coming? And then in the long term, try to mitigate the damage for future generations because it's a matter of respect for Mother Earth and all these creatures that we share her with.”

Watch the new episode of Farms Across America on the fishermen and fisherwomen of Sitka, Alaska working to protect their natural resources, their livelihood, and the planet — all for the love of it, Jordan reminds us.

“In your lifespan a day fishing doesn’t count against it. It's like soccer when you get extra time. A day fishing adds extra time to your life.”

Alaska's Sustainable Fishing Legacy now streaming on YouTube.