Since 1980 in Kodiak, ComFish Alaska has been Alaska’s largest and longest running fisheries trade show sponsored each year by the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce. NOAA Fisheries Service has long been a participant in this show providing speakers for the seminars and staffing booths in the trade show arena. The AFSC Kodiak Laboratory has been participating in ComFish for more than 15 years. The Alaska Regional Office, NMFS Enforcement, and NOAA Weather Service also have staffed booths at the event, making this a valuable venue in Kodiak to present the NOAA mission and projects to the public and answer their questions.
This year Kodiak Laboratory Director Dr. Robert Foy presented "Ocean acidification: what is it and is it the greatest threat to North Pacific fisheries in this century?" He was joined in fisheries presentations by Bruce Lehman, executive director of the International Pacific Halibut Commission, and Denby Lloyd, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner, in a town meeting style forum to field questions and comments from the public.
The Kodiak Laboratory highlighted current research efforts at their booth this year with five posters created for the event by Kodiak staff and the AFSC graphics team Wendy Carlson and Karna McKinney. Claire Armistead contributed her GIS expertise to create an animated and interactive DVD showing 29 years of eastern Bering Sea crab distribution and temperature maps.
Employees from the Kodiak Laboratory staffed the booth during the 20-22 March event, reaching an estimated audience of 1,500-2,000 visitors.
