The Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association (CIAA) is a non-profit organization based in Kenai, Alaska, that works to create sustainable

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...

stocks in the

Cook Inlet Cook Inlet ( tfn, Tikahtnu; Sugpiaq: ''Cungaaciq'') stretches from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage in south-central Alaska. Cook Inlet branches into the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm at its northern end, almost surrounding Anchorage. On its sou ...

area. Initially the Alaska Department of Fish and Game ran most hatchery programs in Alaska, but as commercial fishermen began to see the benefits of such programs and began their own organizations in the 1970s and 1980s, ADF&G gradually phased itself out and co-ordinated efforts with privately run hatchery organizations like CIAA, one of eight regional aquaculture associations in Alaska. By 2001 CIAA was able to release 85 million salmon fry in a single year. It is estimated that 20–30% of commercially caught salmon in this region were spawned at CIAA hatcheries. The Association's programs include hatcheries that produce salmon fry, which are released in streams and lakes; construction and maintenance of salmon migration routes, referred to as "fishways"; and scientific research into salmon breeding and behavior patterns. CIAA works closely with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, who still own two of the three hatcheries operated by CIAA. Because of the importance of salmon to Alaska's economy, CIAA has at times been involved in controversy involving the tug-of-war between commercial and sport fisheries, and was at the center of a prolonged lawsuit involving its

Trail Lakes hatchery The Trail Lakes are two lakes on the lower Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. The lakes are near the town of Moose Pass and adjacent to the Seward Highway. They are the home of a large salmon hatchery owned by the state of Alaska and operated by the Cook ...

In 2010 a

brown bear The brown bear (''Ursus arctos'') is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears, while the subspecies that inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska is kno ...

attacked a small boy in an area adjacent to the Association's fish

weir A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...

near Bear Lake, leading some in the area to call for the closing of that facility, as they felt it was attracting bears. However, the victim believed the bear was actually after berries and was simply startled by the boy's sudden arrival.Seward bear attack leads to review of nearby weir
''Mike Campbell,

Anchorage Daily News The ''Anchorage Daily News'' is a daily newspaper published by the Binkley Co., and based in Anchorage, Alaska. It is the most widely read newspaper and news website (adn.com) in the state of Alaska. The newspaper is headquartered in Anchorage, ...

11-5-2010''

References

External links

Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association
Aquaculture in the United States Buildings and structures in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska Non-profit organizations based in Alaska Agriculture in Alaska {{KenaiPeninsulaAK-geo-stub