We can look at Southeast Alaska—from the mountaintops to the open ocean—as a single, vast, highly productive watershed. Everything is tightly interconnected: the land and waters, vegetation and wildlife, resources and economies, cultures and ways of life. For the communities of Alaska’s Panhandle, this great natural ecosystem functions as a richly endowed bank, providing natural capital that is essential to the regional economy. Unlike ordinary business enterprises, this ecosystem bank requires no human input, no equipment, and no built infrastructure of any kind, yet it produces over a billion dollars worth of fish and other sea foods every year, harvested from Southeast Alaska’s waters. The ecosystem bank is also infinitely sustainable, as long as its resources are harvested responsibly and we assure that the environment remains healthy and productive. The goal of SEABANK is to make people aware of Southeast Alaska’s natural bank, to measure the huge annual capital that it provides, to highlight its value to the shareholders, and to help safeguard its future. SEABANK is a diverse nexus of individuals, scientists, organizations and businesses that wish to share the untold story of Southeast Alaska’s ecological wealth and promotes the region’s natural products that support the livelihoods of our communities. We are a growing hub of scientific and economic information that pertains to the marine environment of Southeast Alaska, and a market place for the region's sustainable products.
