news – Page 2 – Alaska Sea Grant

From fungi to foam

By Kyle Kolda | July 14, 2026

A man stands next to a 2.5-foot model of a house wall insulated with wood and mycelium foam.

An innovative alternative to Styrofoam might be growing in your backyard. A team led by University of Alaska Anchorage researcher Philippe Amstislavski is exploring how mycelium, the root structure of…

Enhancing safety culture in mariculture

By Tom Moran | July 10, 2026

Three people sit inside a bulbous orange capsule designed for survival at sea.

There will likely never be a reality show called “Deadliest Kelp.” But even if mariculture in Alaska doesn’t have the same dangerous reputation as commercial fishing, it’s still a hazardous…

Alaska Sea Grant shines at D.C. fish fry

By Alaska Sea Grant | July 9, 2026

Three people pose in an outdoor booth labeled “Alaska Sea Grant.” Various cookware for a fish fry sit on tables in front of them.

Alaskan cod and rockfish don’t generally stray out of the state’s waters, but a select few of them recently made it all the way to Washington D.C. The two Alaskan…

Invasive European green crabs continue their advance

By Alaska Sea Grant | June 25, 2026

A person holds a European green crab. The crab is distinguished by its five spines on either side of the eyes and three bumps between the eyes.

European green crabs are on the move in Southeast Alaska, so keep your eyes out for this invasive species and its distinctive ‘5-3-5’ carapace. According to the Alaska Department of…

Wakefield symposium explores marine heatwaves and resilience

By Kyle Kolda | June 24, 2026

A woman stands behind a podium speaking. The podium reads Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium.

Kodiak Island was host to the 34th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, which focused on a hot topic in Alaska: marine heatwaves in high-latitude oceans. Scientists, students, stakeholders and policymakers gathered…

Alaska Sea Grant goes to school

By Tom Moran | June 23, 2026

A teenager stands in a classroom wearing an orange mylar bag with a face opening and arms.

Fish often congregate in schools. In Alaska’s coastal communities, so do potential fishermen. That’s why Alaska Sea Grant is increasing its emphasis on offering commercial fishing instruction to students in…

AKSEA program fosters educational collaborations

By Tom Moran | June 22, 2026

A woman holds up a jellyfish made of purple and yellow construction paper.

When it comes to crafting educational resources, four heads are better than one. That’s the idea behind the Alaska Knowledge, Science, and Education Alliance (AKSEA), which just concluded its first…

Lessons from Newtok

By Tom Moran | June 19, 2026

Two young Alaska Native women hold up a stained glass window. The window is made of around a dozen pieces of stained glass in blues and greens, some of which incorporate faint images and writing.

Towns don’t get much more different than Newtok, Alaska, and Provincetown, Massachusetts. But the recently relocated Yup’ik village near the Bering Sea coast and the resort town on the tip…

Fellowship spotlight: Aubrey Taradash

By Alaska Sea Grant | June 17, 2026

Aubrey Taradash is an Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow working with both the Alaska Center for Marine Debris and the Marine Debris Foundation. Taradash’s work helps advance cleanup efforts and foster new technologies to reduce and remove marine debris across Alaska. Hear from Aubrey in this video short.

Fellowship spotlight: Rachel French

By Kyle Kolda | May 28, 2026

A young woman wearing a winter cap and life jacket smiling at camera while holding up a piece of kelp. Blue sky is behind her.

For the past two years, Rachel French has supported Alaska’s growing kelp and oyster industry as an Alaska Sea Grant State Fellow with the mariculture team. She updated key oyster and kelp farming resources to strengthen connections to promote sustainable practices.