Supporting Alaska’s Aquaculture Industry Through Collaborative Site Visits

Aquaculture operations in Alaska are expanding and increasingly adapting to new technologies. To better understand these innovations, NOAA Fisheries staff visited kelp and oyster farm sites near Ketchikan and Kodiak.

Getting out onto farms is valuable for keeping abreast of new trends, improving communications with farm operators, and conducting well-informed Endangered Species Act section 7 consultations . These consultations evaluate potential interactions between marine mammals and aquaculture activities. The goal of these visits was to better understand how aquaculture gear operates in a dynamic environment, and potential marine mammal interactions. Engaging directly with farmers provided us valuable insight into the technologies they use and the operational considerations that help to support informed, effective strategies for marine mammal protection.

In Alaska, growers have practiced modern oyster farming for more than 50 years, and seaweed farming since 2016. To date, there have been no confirmed instances of marine mammal entanglement associated with these types of aquaculture farming in the state.

A recurring theme in conversations with farmers was their love of the ocean, strong ties to their communities, and commitment to producing sustainable, healthy seafood.

Kodiak Site Visits

The NOAA Fisheries team was on Kodiak in May 2026, where they met with colleagues and local aquaculture farmers. Activities included:

• Facility Tours: The team visited the Alaska Sea Grant Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Kodiak Lab to discuss workforce development, processing, and research in the aquaculture sector
• Kelp Innovation: At the new Greenwave kelp nursery, the team reviewed progress in optimizing standard operating procedures and seeded lines to improve growth rates
• Farm Operations: The visit included on-site tours of Alaska Ocean Farms with Alf Pryor and Kodiak Island Sustainable Seaweed with Nick Mangini

The aquaculture community in Kodiak exhibited a high degree of connection and collaboration, a dynamic evident during our site visits to southern Southeast Alaska as well.

Southeast Alaska Site Visits

Later that summer, the team met with Southeast Alaska aquaculture stakeholders in Ketchikan and Craig. These visits gave them a better understanding of regional differences in species, gear, scale, and equipment used for kelp and oyster farms. The team toured Pacific Kelp Company's processing facility in Ketchikan, Hump Island Oyster Company in Clover Pass, and Sea Grove's sugar kelp and oyster farm outside of Craig in Doyle Bay.

Pacific Kelp Co. is interested in being one of the first companies in Alaska to farm giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera ) year-round, along with other kelp species. Hump Island uses a mixture of suspended stacked trays off rafts and floating oyster cages off buoy-supported surface longlines, and Sea Grove's Doyle Bay site is a large combination oyster and kelp farm.

Each farm location, growing season, and type of aquaculture gear provides new considerations for marine mammal interactions.

Observations and Conclusions

The team saw considerable variability in the gear used for kelp and oyster farming at the sites. One site toured by the team in Southeast Alaska uses a floating dock to house equipment and provide deck space for farm operations; other farmers conduct harvest and oyster shaping aboard the wide decks of their vessels. Accessing all the farms was a challenge: the team needed small boats and suitable weather conditions to access all visited sites.

As aquaculture in coastal Alaska continues to experience growth, these site visits and stakeholder engagements have substantially enhanced the team's technical knowledge in modern ocean farming. They have also helped build essential bridges between farmers and NOAA Fisheries personnel, promoting greater efficiency and collaboration in communications.