On March 10-12, the fifth annual Mariculture Conference of Alaska was held in Anchorage, hosting over 300 researchers, farmers, industry leaders, community members, and other mariculture professionals for two days of programming to support the continued development of mariculture in the state by reviewing accomplishments, addressing challenges, and exploring opportunities in research, innovation, education, and industry growth.

Throughout the conference, various speaker events, workshops, presentations, and networking opportunities provided attendees with the chance to strengthen industry ties, learn more about the work of their peers, and envision a strong future for seaweed and shellfish farming in Alaska.

The conference was hosted by Alaska Sea Grant at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, and it was funded by the Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) grant coalition through its Workforce Development component. The AMC’s impact on the industry was evident in the many speaker and poster presentations that recognized AMC’s support. A wide range of AMC projects were shared throughout the conference, including projects under the Kelp Agricultural Product Development program, the Seaweed Tissue Analysis Program, and the Carbon Sequestration program.

Keynote presentations were given by Julie Qiu and Vincent Doumeizel. Julie Qiu, founder of In a Half Shell and co-founder of the Oyster Master Guild, shared her philosophy on the importance of standardized best practice for handling and promoting oysters from farm to plate. Training the restaurant industry is particularly important to ensure that farmed Alaskan oysters can safely and reliably arrive on a consumer’s plate. Julie also emphasized that because Alaska oysters are consistently premium products, their high quality must be maintained throughout the journey from farm to plate or package.

Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Advisor on Oceans and Food to the United Nations Global Compact and former Director of the Food Program at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, talked about the ways that innovative seaweed products, such as dissolvable seaweed packaging and construction materials, are building a strong market for kelp and increasing demand for ocean farming worldwide. He also highlighted the growing global recognition of seaweed as an important crop and how Alaska’s mariculture industry is contributing to that momentum.

The conference featured nine different speaker sessions, ranging from topics like Energy, Engineering and Processing Solutions to Kelp Genetics, Seed Quality, and Propagation. Each speaker session provided opportunities for mariculture professionals to share their work and engage in open Q&A sessions with participants.

Outside of the main speaker sessions, other engaging programming included half-day workshops, a trade show, an oyster showcase, a poster session, and a reception. The conference was also bookended by more mariculture events: before the conference, the NOAA hosted an Alaska Aquaculture Atlas rollout workshop to introduce, explain, and receive feedback on the newly published Gulf of Alaska Aquaculture Atlas. Also before the conference, the AMC Marketing Program hosted a Shuck & Tell event to bring oyster farmers together with local chefs, restaurateurs, and tourism partners to connect over Alaskan-grown oysters. The evening provided a valuable opportunity for these media and buyers to learn about oyster farming in Alaska, form partnerships and deepen relationships, and taste the premium product.

Meanwhile, after the conference, annual meetings were hosted by the Alaska Shellfish Growers Association and the Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA). Additionally, AMA hosted a Nerd Nite, an informal event where mariculture professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts each received 5 minutes to share their specific marine interests with attendees, while attendees ate, drank, and painted oyster shells.

About the AMC Marketing Program

Funded through the AMC’s Market Development grant component, the Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA) and Southeast Conference (SEC) have launched a robust marketing program to increase awareness, demand, and long-term market opportunities for Alaska’s growing mariculture industry. The AMC Marketing Program is being advanced by Tastemaker Comms in partnership with Rising Tide Communications – two experienced firms with extensive backgrounds in seafood marketing, brand development, and campaign execution.

About the Alaska Mariculture Cluster

In September 2022, Southeast Conference was awarded a $49 million U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant to stimulate private investment and grow Alaska’s mariculture industry to $100 million in sales in 10 years.  The Alaska Mariculture Cluster grant involves a large coalition of state agencies, Tribes, non-profits, and others working together over a five year period ending May 2027.