Conference Announcement:
Sustaining the Bering Sea: An International Conference for Collaboration
Girdwood, Alaska
April 2-4, 2003
For more information and to register for the conference see:
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/marine/beringconference.htm
Pacific Environment, an international nonprofit with expertise in
environmental issues on the Pacific Rim, would like to invite you to
attend, Sustaining the Bering Sea: An International Conference for
Collaboration, to be held in Girdwood, Alaska, April 2-4, 2003. We
greatly value your expertise and commitment to the Bering Sea, and your
input will make the conference more effective.
Shared by the U.S. and Russia and fished by many other countries, the
Bering Sea poses as much of a diplomatic challenge as it does an
ecological one. Pollution, overfishing, and climate change have led to
the decline of species ranging from pollock and salmon to polar bears
and Steller's sea lions. Today, 50% of the fish consumed in the United
States comes from the Bering. Without strong, cooperative international
cooperative efforts now, there will be no fish left for our
grandchildren. The increasing scarcity of Bering resources has led to
several violent incidents between competing fleets, as well as between
fishermen and enforcement agents. Currently, meaningful dialogue among
stakeholders is limited, and no effective international management
system exists among countries that rely on the Bering Sea for
sustenance.
This conference will be attended by the largest gathering to date of
international scientists, government officials, environmentalists,
fishermen, community members, indigenous people, and other stakeholders
from the U.S., Russia, and Japan. In addition to beginning a meaningful
dialogue, we also hope to forge an independent and international Bering
Sea Council that will develop successful, long-term management
strategies. We believe that effective conservation of the Bering Sea
requires linking international environmental efforts with effective
international policies that seek to protect the marine environment and
species.
About Pacific Environment
Pacific Environment has been protecting the living environment of the
Pacific Rim since 1987, and we were one of the first environmental
groups to move in and support early Russian non-governmental
organizations after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Because one of
the core principles of our organization is a belief that positive change
is best brought about by empowering and supporting local groups and
citizens, we support and provide funding to environmental non-government
organizations in Pacific Rim countries. This year, we are supporting
more than 100 worthy grassroots organizations in Russia, China, and
Japan.
In addition, we have significant expertise in marine conservation and
issues relevant to the Bering Sea. We have been conducting salmon
protection work in the Russian Far east for over five years, and we
hosted one of the first international NGO-focused fisheries conferences
in Russia.
Conference Details and Agenda
We have included a wide variety of stakeholders from all three nations
on our invitation list, our speakers' list, and our steering committee.
You can learn more about the steering committee and the conference on
our website, as well as register for the conference at:
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/marine/beringconference.htm
The conference will take place at the Alyeska Prince Hotel in Girdwood,
Alaska, April 2-4, 2003, and will begin with a Welcome Reception on the
evening of April 1st. Topics include:
review of the overall state of the Bering Sea
governance and management by the U.S. and Russia
illegal fishing and enforcement issues
species decline
pollution and global warming
local community perspectives, including fishermen and indigenous
community members
challenges and opportunities for international efforts
targeted discussions of salmon, pollock, sea lions/walruses and
seabirds.
During the final day of the conference stakeholders will work together
to build consensus around an action plan for the future.
The conference will culminate in an evening reception on Friday, April
4, at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, where we will
announce the results of the conference to the public and the press. We
hope that you can also join us for this event.
If you have any questions, or need any further information, please feel
free to contact our office at 510/251-8800x307. Jennifer Eyres, our
exchange coordinator, will be happy to assist you as well
(jeyres [at] pacificenvironment.org).
Sincerely,
Catriona Glazebrook, J.D., M.S., Executive Director
Jennifer Castner Eyres, Exchange Coordinator