United Fishermen of Alaska has joined mounting calls for reinstatement of Alaska’s Coastal Management Program.

UFA is an industry association representing 37 commercial fishing groups.  The Coastal Management Program coordinated state and local input on federal development projects before sunsetting in June, after the legislature failed to renew it.

UFA Executive Director Mark Vinsel says the issue should be a priority during the upcoming legislative session.

“We know there are differences among some legislators as to what level of local input or local knowledge should be used in the program and how it should be used as compared to scientific evidence, but we don’t really think that’s as important as keeping the program going.”

Legislative debate of the issue ended in a deadlocked special session earlier this year.  At its core, disagreement over the program boils down to how much control communities should have over development projects in their area.

The UFA resolution does not specify what the revamped program should look like.  Vinsel says the group just wants Coastal Management back.

“Alaska, with over half of the nation’s shoreline… We don’t think we should be the only state that’s not taking advantage of the federal funding and coordination that are part of this program.”

Other groups have also recently expressed their support for reviving the program.  At the annual Alaska Federation of Natives conference last month, delegates unanimously endorsed reviving Coastal Management.

In early October officials from three coastal communities filed an application to put the issue on the November 2012 ballot, assuming the legislature doesn’t take it up first.  The Office of the Lieutenant Governor has until December 6 to approve or deny the application.