Alaska planners have identified mariculture workforce development as an important strategic area, essential to growing the current industry into a major sector in the state economy over the next 20 years. This plan covers goals, strategies, and action steps for meeting the current and forecasted training needs for a growing mariculture industry.

The state of Alaska supported the creation of the Alaska Mariculture Workforce Development Plan to increase mariculture economic development. This plan was overseen by the Alaska Mariculture Cluster, funded by a U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant awarded to the Southeast Conference.

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.