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.

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.