seaweed
Seaweed processing and handling workshop provides workforce training
Seaweed farming is a major industry worldwide, and the United States imports more than 95%—19 million tons—of its edible seaweed. Alaska has an ideal environment for producing home-grown seaweed to meet a greater share of the domestic market and as a potential export to meet international demand. Interest in seaweed farming is growing in Alaska,…
Read MoreAlaska aquaculture permitting support bolsters new aquatic farm applications
Alaska’s burgeoning mariculture industry, which includes shellfish and seaweed farming, has substantial economic potential for coastal communities. The path to establish an aquatic farm is challenging, as prospective farmers are required to file multiple permits with four or more state and federal agencies. This confusing and time-consuming multi-agency permitting process was identified by the state’s…
Read MoreInternational seaweed processors visit Kodiak
On October 29, a group of international seaweed processors visited Kodiak and the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (KSMSC). The delegation stopped in Kodiak as part of a tour of coastal Alaska that included Ketchikan, Juneau, Cordova, and Dutch Harbor. The event was organized by Julie Decker and the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation. The…
Read MoreAlaska kelp-seasoned tortillas get a showing in Seattle
Taco Loco, a tortilla and chip company based in Anchorage, is working with Alaska Sea Grant’s seafood technology specialist, Chris Sannito, to incorporate seaweed into products. One of these products that Sannito and Taco Loco developed is a kelp-seasoned tortilla. A few months ago, Sannito brought the Taco Loco tortillas to the Alaska Symphony of…
Read MoreSite Assessment Toolkit to improve kelp farm site selection
Schery Umanzor contributed to this story. Alaska has ideal conditions for kelp mariculture, including cold and nutrient-rich waters, working waterfronts, a skilled maritime workforce, and people interested in developing kelp mariculture operations. The process of selecting farming sites can be a challenge, however, especially in rural Alaska. Determining the suitability of sites for the cultivation…
Read MoreNew Alaska aquaculture permitting portal and guidance document
Current and prospective aquatic farmers in Alaska have a valuable new resource to guide them through submitting, amending, renewing or transferring an aquatic farm application. NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region and Alaska Sea Grant have launched a web portal and printable manual to assist applicants with the aquatic farm leasing and permitting process. The complex multi-agency…
Read MoreShellfish and Seaweed Festival highlights mariculture in Alaska
More than 100 people, including farmers, scientists, industry personnel, and community members participated in Alaska Sea Grant’s first Shellfish and Seaweed Festival. The online event featured presentations to celebrate and promote the mariculture industry in Alaska and the delicious shellfish and seaweed products grown here. Melissa Good, Alaska Sea Grant’s mariculture specialist, kicked off the…
Read MoreNew Alaska Shellfish and Seaweed Festival in May
Alaska Sea Grant is holding the first Alaska Shellfish and Seaweed Festival from May 17–20, hosted online with specials and promotions in several coastal communities around the state. Join us each evening for informative presentations, videos, and demonstrations all about oysters and seaweed in Alaska. Leading up to the event and during the week of…
Read MoreSeeking input on Aquaculture Opportunity Area designations
Alaska Sea Grant and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are inviting Alaska stakeholders to provide input regarding a federal Aquaculture Opportunity Area (AOA) designation program that has the potential to streamline aquaculture development in Alaska. The process, being implemented by the NOAA Aquaculture Program, will identify the regions that will be included in…
Read MoreShellfish and seaweed recipe series: Bull kelp salsa
Alaska Sea Grant’s Alaska Shellfish and Seaweed Growers Project is launching a recipe series to celebrate National Seafood Month and highlight tasty dishes you can make at home from mariculture crops available in Alaska. In this first installment, learn how to make zesty seaweed and tomato salsa using fresh Alaskan bull kelp. Bull kelp is…
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