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Insights Platform Launched For Alaska Mariculture Industry
October 28, 2024
Lead Entities: Hatch Innovation Services
Grant Component: Equipment & Technology
The Alaska Mariculture Insights Platform, which offers essential benchmarks, insights and industry data aimed at showcasing Alaska’s mariculture industry, has been officially launched.
As part of the AMC’s Equipment & Technology grant component, Southeast Conference contracted with Hatch Innovation Services to create an open-source insights platform for seaweed and oysters that presents production insights broken down into the different supply chain stages. This project provides a unique perspective of the Alaskan seaweed and oyster industries, as well as insights into the vast potential of Alaskan mariculture to implement new technological innovations and investment opportunities, mobilizing third-party resources to enhance the local ecosystem further.
This platform aspires to:
- Foster collaboration, information sharing, and partnerships within the industry to support the growth and success of mariculture businesses in Alaska.
- Support economic development across the state on mariculture initiatives, supporting all types of businesses, from small to large.
- Support a broad coalition of stakeholders to de-risk the sector and empower private businesses, individuals, entrepreneurs, and workers to drive the industry forward.
Drawing on extensive primary and secondary research, including interviews with key industry partners – such as hatcheries, farmers, processors, and innovators – the platform delivers an in-depth analysis of the current state of technology and techniques in seaweed and oyster production. The platform also presents production insights by species, broken down into the different supply chain stages. It aims to benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including private investors, government entities looking to generate jobs through restorative aquaculture, and blue economy project specialists.
In 2022, Hatch produced seaweedinsights.com after conducting extensive field surveys in East Asia. Southeast Conference and AMC coalition members recognized the value of having a similar insights platform for Alaska’s nascent mariculture industry, while also including oysters alongside kelp. The Alaska insights platform now lives under this umbrella at alaska.seaweedinsights.com.
Over 12 days in May 2024, Hatch visited mariculture farms and facilities in Ketchikan, Craig, Naukati, Hoonah, Juneau, Seward, Homer, Halibut Cove, and Kodiak. Additional field trips are being planned to cover more ground and better represent the AMC’s project regions.
For additional information, please visit Alaska Mariculture Insights, or contact Charlie Herrington of Southeast Conference and the Alaska Mariculture Cluster, or Nitzan Unger from Hatch Innovation Services.
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 Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) 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, which 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.
