shellfish
Alaska Sea Grant debuts farm-to-table mariculture directory for Alaska
Alaskans who love fresh Alaska seafood will be happy to hear that Alaska Sea Grant has begun development of an online directory of farms and retailers that sell Alaska-grown shellfish and seaweed, locally or through mail order.
Read MoreVigilance advised after saxitoxin found in clams
Scientists have detected toxic algae in clams from the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea regions of northern and western Alaska, according to a new bulletin. It’s an indication that ocean warming is moving northward, allowing the growth of Alexandrium catenella, a type of algae that can produce saxitoxin. If ingested, saxitoxin targets the nervous system…
Read MoreMariculture workshop kicks off in Kodiak
The Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute is offering a free, two-day workshop “Introduction to Mariculture in the Kodiak Region,” funded in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the past three years, the institute has worked with partners to establish small farms in the communities of Larsen Bay, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie and Port Lions. The…
Read MoreNew video focuses on Alaska’s acidifying oceans
Ocean acidification is how scientists describe the lowering of the oceans’ pH. The oceans today are roughly 30 percent more acidic than they were during the Industrial Revolution some 300 years ago. The rise in ocean acidification (OA) is tied to higher levels of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by fossil fuel burning…
Read MoreUnsolved mystery: the case of the weathervane scallop
Prized by five-star chefs and seafood connoisseurs, weathervanes are a bit of a mystery animal. Major gaps exist in our understanding of the tasty mollusks, which are native to Alaska.
Read MoreBlue Starr Oyster Co. debuts new oyster nursery system
An Alaska oyster farmer on Prince of Wales Island is hoping that a new device he spent years helping to design will increase his oyster farming productivity and prove useful to other farmers around the state. The redesigned device is a 53-foot aluminum floating upweller system, or FLUPSY. It works by moving fresh seawater filled…
Read MoreJuneau oyster farmer battles red tape to grow family business
Meta Mesdag is a commercial photographer and mom to three young children. More recently, the Southeast Alaska resident added oyster farmer to her resume. Mesdag is the owner of Salty Lady Seafood Company, a small-scale mariculture operation in Bridget Cove, north of Juneau. She launched the company in April 2018 with the goal of having…
Read MoreGraying of the Fleet research wins national award
Alaska Sea Grant-supported researchers won a national award at Sea Grant Week in Portland, Ore., this month for a study on how to boost access to Alaska commercial fisheries by young and rural residents. The Sea Grant Association, comprised of Sea Grant program directors from 33 coastal universities, presented its Research to Application award to…
Read MoreInvestigating threats from invasive species in the Aleutians Islands
Some exciting science detective work is going on in the Aleutian Islands, home to 1,100 miles of remote marine habitat and some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Because this sensitive region is vulnerable to the introduction of invasive and potentially harmful marine species, Alaska Sea Grant is participating in research to determine the threat…
Read MoreClams and climate change — new Alaska study examines the connections
SEWARD, Alaska — July fourth in Seward is known for its fireworks, festivities and the grueling Mt. Marathon race that draws elite athletes from around the world. But for a University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) graduate student, the holiday took on a whole different meaning this year. “It was the first time I was able…
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