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AMC Announces Hands-On Farm Training Projects

January 28, 2026

Lead Entities: Alaska Mariculture Alliance, Kodiak Ocean Growers, OceansAlaska

Grant Component: Workforce Development

As Alaska’s mariculture industry continues to grow, the Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) is working towards its workforce development objectives to expand the number of trained workers with hands-on experience in Alaska’s unique coastal conditions. To help meet this need, AMC launched a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) in summer 2025 to solicit projects connecting aspiring mariculture workers with real-world training opportunities on working farms, hatcheries, and processing facilities across Alaska.

Funded through the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the Hands-On Farm Training Program is a component of AMC’s Workforce Development component project. In January 2026, three complementary projects were launched led by Alaska Mariculture Alliance, Kodiak Ocean Growers, and OceansAlaska. Selected through the competitive RFP, these projects represent $322,340 in coordinated investment in workforce development, with activities primarily taking place in summer 2026.

This program is intentionally designed to complement existing AMC-funded workforce efforts led by University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), and University of Alaska Anchorage. By pairing structured curriculum with real-world training environments, the Hands-On Farm Training Program bridges the gap between education and employment and will help trainees develop their career readiness. Over the course of the program, dozens of trainees are expected to complete paid training placements or workshops, while farms and hatcheries will receive much-needed labor support during critical periods of the growing season.

Use the toggles below to learn more about the funded Hands-On Farm Training projects.

Click to expand:

Lead Organization: Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA)
Funding: $156,640
Region: All regions
Apply here: Sea Grant Website (apprentices and hosts)

AMA, in collaboration with Alaska Sea Grant, will lead a state-wide hands-on internship program with oyster and kelp farmers, hatchery operators, and seafood processors. AMA and Alaska Sea Grant will conduct a competitive selection process for host sites, ensuring geographic and sector diversity. The two organizations will also compensate participating host sites and interns, coordinate recruitment and placement, manage travel, and provide ongoing support for participants.

Additionally, AMA will coordinate hands-on oyster farmer workshop, supported by the Pacific Shellfish Institute, during the 2026 Mariculture Conference of Alaska. The workshop will cover Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning basics and will be developed into publicly available educational videos that will extend the reach of the program beyond in-person participants.

Lead Organization: Kodiak Ocean Growers (KOG)
Funding: $100,000
Region: Southwest Alaska (Kodiak)
Apply here: [Link coming soon]

A cooperative of kelp farms in Kodiak, KOG is implementing a regionally focused internship program tailored to Kodiak’s conditions and workforce needs, aiming to support up to 15 trainees annually. The project will deliver training across the full farming cycle, leverage local facilities for classroom and technical instruction, and build mentorship pathways. KOG’s project includes preparatory training workshops to ensure interns have the proper safety knowledge, gear, and operational skills before beginning their internships. These workshops will be delivered in collaboration with Alaska Sea Grant, Nautical Marine, and UAF’s Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center.

Lead Organization: OceansAlaska
Funding: $65,700
Region: Southeast
Apply here: Sea Grant Website (workshop participants)

A marine science center and shellfish hatchery based in Ketchikan, OceansAlaska will deliver a hands-on oyster hatchery and nursery training program, combining applied research with a workshop to be held March 31 – April 2, 2026. During the three-day workshop, participants will receive direct instruction from experienced hatchery operators and work to document training outcomes, oyster spawning results, and seed sorting. Travel support is available for participants. Similar workshops were held in Spring 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Partners on this project include UAS Applied Fisheries’ mariculture program and Alaska Sea Grant. OceansAlaska will also host a community event in Ketchikan to share information about the hatchery workshop and OceansAlaska barge oyster research.

 

Background

Southeast Conference (SEC) is the federally designated Economic Development District (EDD) for Southeast Alaska, as well as the state designated Alaska Regional Development Organization. SEC’s mission is to undertake and support activities that promote strong economies, sustainable communities, and a healthy environment in Southeast Alaska.

In September 2022, Southeast Conference was awarded a $49 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) grant to catalyze a viable and sustainable mariculture industry in Alaska, supporting the production of shellfish and seaweed, for the long-term benefit of the state’s economy, environment, and communities.

SEC leads the Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) grant coalition, which includes members of Alaska’s mariculture industry, tribal organizations, regulatory agencies, university system, regional EDDs, trade organizations, and others. A Governance Body, composed of AMC coalition leaders and Tribal executives from each of the project regions, guides the grant’s work and equity metrics.

The AMC has complementary grant components designed to break down barriers and develop Alaska’s mariculture industry. The Overarching Narrative explains how the grant components work together to grow the industry in an equitable and responsible manner. The full project period for the AMC BBBRC project is October 1, 2022 to September 30th, 2026.