Fellowship spotlight: Emily Reynolds

Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow Emily Reynolds is working with NOAA Fisheries and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science on innovative projects that support sustainable aquaculture development in Alaska. Reynolds, a marine biologist, is mapping wild kelp beds as part of NOAA’s Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOA) initiative, integrating existing data with insights from seaweed farmers to identify potential sources of kelp broodstock.

Operational permits in Alaska require seaweed farmers to follow the 50/50 rule, stipulating that seaweed spores for farms must be collected from healthy, wild kelp populations within a 50-kilometer radius of the planting area, and the minimum number of wild broodstock required for each species, area, and year is set at 50 unrelated individuals. Identifying potential donor kelp beds near farms minimizes risk of disease transmission and ensures a sustainable supply of reproductive material to support the growth of seaweed aquaculture in Alaska’s AOAs. Reynolds’ mapping work provides farmers with important information for sustaining and growing their operations.

“I’ve been able to apply my academic training to real-world challenges, drawing on my experience in spatial analyses and studying interactions between species and aquaculture, to support Alaska’s farmers and this growing industry,” shared Reynolds. “This fellowship has been such a rewarding experience.”

Reynolds’s academic and professional background is rooted in marine biology and aquaculture. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she did observational research on interactions between sea otters and aquaculture activity, and contributed to intertidal studies through partnerships with Gulf Watch Alaska and National Science Foundation programs. Before joining the Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship Program, she worked as a contracted scientist with the United States Geological Survey, processing sea otter specimens and digitizing abundance data. Notably, she developed a new skull processing technique that has since been incorporated into a USGS manual.

Outside of her professional work, Reynolds takes advantage of Alaska’s marine ecosystems—scuba diving, fishing, hunting, and exploring the state’s rugged coastlines.

Looking ahead, Reynolds wants to continue advancing sustainable aquaculture practices in Alaska, supporting the state’s marine industries, and contributing to the long-term health of its coastal communities.