Natural hazards, fish habitat, and fishing communities in Alaska

Fish and fishing communities are iconic symbols of Alaska, Volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis also stand out as processes that define or shape the Alaska landscape. Alaska has numerous fishing ports that regularly rank in the top 10 ports for commercial landings by weight and value in the United States. In addition to commercial fisheries, subsistence fisheries and sport fishing play an important role in the economy and culture of Alaska. Alaska is home to one of the most active plat boundaries on the planet, where the Pacific Plate is subducting the North American Plate at rates greater than 5 cm/year. This process brings to Alaska earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Active plate boundaries around the Pacific basin also make Alaska vulnerable to transoceanic tsunam is generated by earthquakes thousands of miles away. Alaska is the most seismically active state in the United States by a large margin and one of the most active areas in the world. In this paper, we examine the distribution of fishing communities and fish habitat with respect to volcanic and earthquake hazards and discuss the possible implications of these natural hazards to fisheries. Because natural hazards cannot be prevented, communities must prepare for and minimize risk associated with such events. Understanding the nature and distribution of natural hazards is the first step in preparing for future events and limiting the impacts of those events.