[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 196 (Wednesday, November 29, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1138-E1139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE CAREER OF ALASKA'S JUSTINE GUNDERSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MARY SATTLER PELTOLA

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 29, 2023

  Mrs. PELTOLA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the House to honor 
the career of a great Alaskan, Justine Gundersen, upon her retirement 
from the Board of Directors for the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community 
Development Association, known generally as ``APICDA.'' APICDA is one 
of six Community Development Quota Groups formed pursuant to the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management and Conservation Act, as amended 
which created in statute the Community Development Quota Program. This 
revolutionary and game-changing program ensured that remote underserved 
Alaska Villages, would have a real and economically viable stake in the 
vast and valuable federal fisheries harvested in close proximity to 
their communities. Justine Gunderson played her own invaluable role in 
making it happen.
  In 1976, Justine Gundersen made Nelson Lagoon her home with her late 
husband, Paul Gundersen. ``The Lagoon,'' is nestled on the north side 
of the Alaska Peninsula, on a narrow sand spit, 580 miles southwest of 
Anchorage and 70 miles north of Cold Bay. Nelson Lagoon, which the 
Unangax people originally used as a seasonal fish camp, has developed 
into a close-knit, year-round community with commercial fishing as its 
economic backbone.
  Since the inception of the CDQ program, Justine has been a 
cornerstone, holding a position on the APICDA board since its earliest 
days. Her guidance helped lay the foundation for the APICDA board and 
played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of the entire program.
  Justine's list of accomplishments is extensive, serving on 
influential bodies such as the Advisory Panel for the North Pacific 
Fishery Management Council, the Alaska Seafood

[[Page E1139]]

Marketing Institute Board, the Aleutians East Borough Assembly, and the 
Nelson Lagoon Advisory Board.
  What truly distinguishes Justine is not merely the duration of her 
service, but the unwavering commitment that propels it--a resolute 
determination to ensure that the state's villages, regardless of their 
size and remoteness, receive the attention they deserve. With the 
accumulating of nearly 50 years of service, Justine has become a beacon 
of knowledge, dedicating herself to educating others about village 
life.
  Beyond her board service, Justine assumed the role of Administrator 
for the Tribe and Corporation in Nelson Lagoon. In these capacities she 
worked tirelessly to shepherd projects aimed at enhancing the quality 
of life for the village residents. These projects include a community 
dock, erosion mitigation initiatives, a boatyard and storage facility, 
a community greenhouse, and two seasonal tourism adventure sport 
fishing camps that provide employment opportunities for Nelson Lagoon 
residents.
  Justine's wealth of knowledge in the region and the fishing industry, 
coupled with her extensive experience and unyielding passion, 
positioned her as a formidable advocate. Her dedicated service to 
APICDA leaves an indelible and positive mark upon its history and its 
future, and upon the CDQ Program generally and continued economic 
opportunity that it provides to Villages throughout areas of Western 
Alaska. I thank Justine for her service to Alaska.

                          ____________________