As part of the Alaska Mariculture Cluster grant project, Southeast Conference has contracted with Hatch Innovation Services, a leading aquaculture consultancy firm, to create an open-source Alaska Mariculture Insights platform for seaweed and oysters.  

In 2022, Hatch produced seaweedinsights.com after conducting extensive field surveys in East Asia. At least 98% of global seaweed production comes from Asia, where China, Indonesia, the Philippines, North and South Korea, Japan and Malaysia have the longest traditions in seaweed farming. Southeast Conference and AMC coalition members recognized the value of having a similar insights platform for Alaska’s nascent mariculture industry.  

“The goal of the Alaska Mariculture Cluster is to grow the sector to $200 million in revenue in 20 years, with a focus on equitable distribution of ownership and impacts.  The Alaska Mariculture Insights platform will provide needed information as new people, investors, and suppliers engage with this growing industry,” says Dan Lesh, deputy director of Southeast Conference. 

From May 6 through May 17, Southeast Conference hosted Hatch’s Nitzan Unger and Mortiz Mueller, Managing Director of thefishsite.com, an aquaculture news site owned by Hatch, as well as two camera crew, Rhys Votano of London, UK and Weston Morgan of Halibut Cove, AK.  

Over 12 action packed days, the group visited mariculture farms and facilities in Ketchikan, Craig, Naukati, Hoonah, Juneau, Seward, Homer, Halibut Cove, and Kodiak. Given the short time frame, the group couldn’t cover the entire state. The Prince William Sound region was notably missed and will be incorporated into the insights platform through virtual interviews and future visits. 

The Alaska Mariculture Insights platform will be unveiled at the Seagriculture USA conference in Ketchikan September 11-12, 2024. Feature articles and videos about Alaska mariculture and the AMC grant will also be published on thefishsite.com. 

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.