Alaskan mariculture: a lifeline for The Last Frontier

Noble Ocean Farms is a small but growing kelp farming operation in Simpson Bay, run by Sean Den Adel and his wife, Skye.

Seawan Gelhbach, founder of the Simpson Bay Oyster Company, sees bivalve farming as a way of cultivating seafood, building a community and carving a sustainable living out of the waters of Prince…

Kelp and bivalve farming are key components for reviving Indigenous sovereignty and sustainable ocean-based economies in Alaska, according to Dune Lankard, founder of the Native Conservancy.

While better known for its prolific salmon runs and historic fishing fleet, Cordova is now also becoming a hub of innovation in mariculture, with seaweed at the centre of a growing green economy.

Kelp farming startup WildBlue Mariculture was founded by commercial fishers Amber Morris and Kory Blake in a bid to both diversify their incomes and have a positive impact on the planet.

Thea Thomas and her partner Cale Hershcleb have blazed a trail for seaweed farming in Prince William Sound, having been operational for four seasons as the Royal Ocean Kelp Co.

Combining scientific curiosity and practical grit, Olivia Duner and Jonny Antoni - with the support of several friends - set up Sea Quester Farms in 2022 in a bid to establish a regenerative…

Working with one of North America’s largest seaweed processors on one side, and a range of Alaska’s fledgling seaweed farmers on the other, Mothers of Millions is ensuring that growers have a market,…

Sean Crosby gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Kachemak Shellfish Growers’ oyster hatchery in Homer, Alaska – an operation that’s helping to fuel the state’s mariculture boom.

Jeff Hetrick, director of the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute, a tribally managed marine research facility in Seward, Southeast Alaska, offers insights into the potential offered by the state’s…

Kelp culture is still in its infancy in Alaska, but Evie Witten of the Kachemak Kelp Hub has plenty of ideas to unlock the market potential of the world’s fastest-growing seaweed.

Greg Bates of Alaska Shellfish Farms recounts how he and his family have managed to grow their oyster business over the course of 17 years.

The kelp farms of Kodiak are now ready to expand, if buyers - and the necessary processing infrastructure to serve them - emerge on time.

How can fishers dabble in mariculture? Two ladies in Alaska show us how to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Oyster and kelp farming are offering fresh opportunities for the scattered inhabitants of Prince of Wales Island, and those at the sharp end of the industry believe that mariculture could help to…

A new $49 million grant aims to reinvigorate the Alaskan mariculture scene, prioritising native and traditionally underserved communities