University of Alaska Fairbanks SCHOOL OF FISHERIES AND OCEAN SCIENCES  
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Photo of Alice Smoker

Contact Information

Fisheries Academic Program
17101 Point Lena Loop Rd.
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 796-5441
Fax: (907) 796-5447
aesmoker@alaska.edu

Alice SmokerM.S. Student

Fisheries

Thesis Title

Modelling Participation in the Southeast Alaska Dungeness Crab Fishery

Career Goals

#1: Get my M.S.!
#2: Work on a boat for a while
#3: Apply my interdisciplinary education to a career that somehow involves mediating the interface between fisheries science and fisheries stakeholders

Affiliations

Education

Research Overview

I think all kinds of fisheries science are pretty cool, but I am particularly interested in research that advances our understanding of fisheries as social and ecological systems. Knowledge of the relationships and tradeoffs between different components of fisheries systems provides a foundation for truly sustainable ecosystem based management. For my own small part, my M.S. thesis research will address how fishermen in the Southeast Alaskan Dungeness crab fishery may be affected by changes in the abundance and accessibility of its target species. Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) is one of many prey species consumed by sea otters (Enhydra lutris), which are rapidly repopulating large areas of Southeast Alaska. My objective is to understand how the abundance of Dungeness crab and other variables affect participation in the fishery. I’m also interested in understanding variation among the participants, and learning about how other fishery stakeholders may be affected. I will conduct a survey and use economic modeling techniques to address these questions.

Current Research Projects