news
Oyster farmers face challenges and opportunities in Alaska
Mariculture is an emerging industry in Alaska that Alaska Sea Grant is helping to promote. Last week some of our faculty and staff gathered in Cordova with shellfish farmers, oyster spat growers and a kelp farmer to share ideas and strategies. It was part of the Alaska Shellfish Growers Association’s annual conference. Experts on marketing…
Read MoreLaying the foundation for resilient coastal communities
Average temperatures in Alaska have increased twice as fast as anywhere in the country over the last century. This warming—as much as 6 degrees in winter and three degrees in summer—is expected to continue along with the effects of disappearing sea ice, thawing of permafrost, changes in fish and wildlife patterns, extreme flooding and erosion.…
Read MoreCreative and innovative research proposals sought
Alaska Sea Grant is gearing up to fund new research to benefit Alaska. We invite researchers to submit pre-proposals for projects to be undertaken during 2020–2022. Investigators at academic, research, and education institutions throughout Alaska may apply for one- to two-year research projects. The deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2019 by 5 p.m. Alaska…
Read More“We have never been here before” — Gay Sheffield, on ecosystem-wide changes in the Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is undergoing massive changes that include the dramatic loss of sea ice last winter. As Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory agent Gay Sheffield notes in the interview below, “we have never been here before.” Sheffield spoke to the Associated Press at the American Geophysical Union conference this week in Washington, D.C., saying…
Read MoreWest Coast trade show draws hundreds to ASG booth
Pacific Marine Expo, the largest commercial marine trade show on the West Coast, was a lot fun for us this year. We had the pleasure of meeting with nearly 400 attendees of the Seattle-based conference who stopped by our booth in the Alaska Hall to say hello, many of them commercial fishermen. Lots of people…
Read MoreOn the move
Our Fairbanks staff are busy packing boxes and preparing for an office move. As of Dec. 10, we will be in a new space on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Our staff offices will be located in rooms 231-235 in the O’Neill Building. Our bookstore is also moving. Check us out at the Geophysical…
Read MoreWeaving traditional and local knowledge into Sea Grant’s work
Alaska Sea Grant, together with the 32 other Sea Grant programs across the country, took part in a visioning exercise in 2017 to improve what we do to support coastal communities and economics. The purpose of the exercise was to look closely at 10 key topic areas and set goals, outcomes and best practices for…
Read MoreMourning the loss of Mary Pete
Alaska Sea Grant is mourning the loss our dear friend and colleague Mary Ciuniq Pete, who passed away on Nov. 17, 2018, after a battle with cancer. We send our deepest condolences to Mary’s family, friends and the entire Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region. Mary was a longtime member of our advisory committee and a fierce advocate…
Read MoreUnalaska uses teamwork and technology to save whales
Humpback whale sightings are becoming increasingly common in Unalaska, and so are whale entanglements. In late October 2018, Alaska Sea Grant’s Melissa Good helped coordinate efforts to successfully free a humpback that had been caught in commercial fishing gear. Good is the regional lead responder for the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Network. She said…
Read MoreReflecting on the past year; planning for the next
We thank our advisory committee members who took time to convene with us in Anchorage this month. These statewide leaders share our passion for Alaska’s coastal communities, ocean and freshwater resources, applied scientific research, workforce development and marine education. We spent the time reviewing our work over the last year, identifying emerging issues that we…
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