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Board of Directors

Corporate Mission Statement

The goal of Douglas Island Pink and Chum, Inc. is to sustain and enhance valuable salmon resources of the State of Alaska for the economic, social, and cultural benefit of all citizens, and to promote public understanding of Alaska's salmon resources and salmon fisheries through research, education, and tourism.

In 1974 the Alaska State Legislature and Governor authorized the Department of Fish & Game to issue permits to private non-profit (PNP) salmon hatcheries for the purpose of enhancing the State's common property fisheries. The concept of PNP hatcheries refers to a unique program in Alaska that allows private non-profit corporations to own and operate salmon hatcheries for improving the harvests of salmon. In 1976, the State Legislature established a revolving loan fund through the Department of Commerce and Economic Development specifically for providing grants and loans for hatchery planning, construction, operation, and implementation of fisheries enhancement and rehabilitation activities.

Douglas Island Pink & Chum, Inc. (DIPAC) was formed in 1976 by a group of Juneau residents responding to this legislation and our community's depleted fisheries resource. The Kowee Creek Hatchery was formed in 1976 as the first "Mom and Pop" hatchery in the Juneau area. DIPAC received its first construction loan for the Sheep Creek Hatchery in 1980, after the first successful return at Kowee Creek in 1979. After significant returns and a positive contribution to local fisheries, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery project was considered by our local state senator, representatives and their constituents. Through their efforts and local community support from Haines and Juneau, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and its various salmon enhancement programs became a reality for the Juneau community in 1989. Most recently, in July 1996, DIPAC took over the operations of the Snettisham Hatchery located 30 miles south of Juneau.

The economics of PNP hatcheries were also established by the State Legislature. DIPAC operates as a business through a cost recovery program whereby State permits allow PNP hatcheries to harvest a certain portion of the returning fish to generate revenue to cover operational costs. DIPAC's goal is to contribute 60% of its production to the common property fisheries and 40% of production to the cost recovery harvest.

DIPAC is currently governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 32 seats as follows: 1 power troll; 1 purse seine; 6 gillnet; 1 Processor; 10 sport fishing; 1 City and Borough of Juneau; 1 environmental; 10 public at large; and 1 subsistence. The gillnet representatives give major guidance to the production of DIPAC's chum and sockeye production and the sportsmen give the same guidance for the production of king and coho salmon.

DIPAC currently incubates, rears and releases four species of Pacific salmon; chum, chinook, coho and sockeye. The chum and sockeye species are produced for the commercial fleets, whereas the chinook and coho were initially produced for the Juneau and Haines sport fishing fleets. Since the mid 1980's, DIPAC has relied on pink and chum production as the primary source of cost recovery income. Over the past several years, the chinook and coho programs have contributed to both sport fishing enhancement efforts as well as DIPAC's own cost recovery requirements. And as the sockeye program evolves, DIPAC will harvest a portion of that production as well to help pay for operating costs.