Internship: Salmon, Water, and People on the Kenai Peninsula, Tufts Fletcher School, Woodwell Climate Research Center (Remote)

Climate warming in Alaska is increasing stream temperatures to levels that now commonly reach and exceed survival thresholds (18°C) for migrating Chinook salmon. The lack of basic knowledge of the climate-water-salmon-people system endangers the economy of the Kenai Peninsula where salmon serve as an economic pillar through sport- and commercial fishing. Working with Kachemak Bay Conservation Society (KBCS), local communities and decision-makers, this project will make a preliminary assessment of the scope and nature of present benefits from the fishery and key impacts of climate change on the decline of the fisheries total economic value and apply cost benefit analysis to identify cost effective, socially equitable policy responses.