NOAA Releases Alaska Aquaculture Report and Kelp Farm Study

NOAA Fisheries has published a report summarizing input from tribal groups, the public, NGOs, and local officials on a planned environmental review of possible Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Alaska state waters. The agency gathered feedback during a spring scoping process and now outlines next steps for evaluating these areas.

Researchers from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center teamed with Sea Quester Farms to examine whether kelp farms create new habitat for marine species. Their findings indicate that kelp farms in Southeast Alaska do not have a measurable effect on the composition of fish and invertebrate communities, suggesting coexistence between seaweed cultivation and marine life.