The Aquatic Farm Act of 1988 established the regulatory structure and capabilities for the state to oversee and support economic prospects for shellfish farming in Alaska. Alaska shellfish farmers now benefit from a more supportive regulatory environment, technical assistance, and enhanced industry support from state agencies, the University of Alaska, and other industry stakeholders.
According to the seashore configuration, local rules for permitting and traditions, farmers will have to choose both the farm site and the farming technique that is appropriate for the site.
To address the permits and regulations, bottleneck ADF&G launched the new online portal called My Farm in the fall of 2022. This allows permit holders to see the details of their operation permit, view and apply for additional permits, as well as annual reports submissions using several features. Operators can also create sub-accounts for required actions on their behalf. Since its implementation, this online service has been an extreme time saver for ADF&G. It eliminates data entry and streamlines the permitting processes, as well as supports the operator by providing access to all their permit information.
The regulatory environment in the state allows for flexibility in addressing any conflicts that may arise, enabling innovative solutions to maximize the utilization of Alaska's extensive coastline for sustainable mariculture practices.
Our Alaskan regulatory environment and leasing environment here are very favorable, and if you can't get through that, you're going to fail anyway.
Unlike land-based farms, sea farms operate in state waters collectively owned by the state's citizens, as well as the beaches. Choosing the right farm site not only ensures compliance with regulations aimed at protecting the environment but also plays a key role in minimizing controversies during the application process.
In June 2023, NOAA Fisheries, in collaboration with the state of Alaska, announced a plan to designate Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in state waters. These AOAs are selected regions suitable for commercial aquaculture based on environmental, social, and economic criteria. The AOAs will be determined through analysis, Indigenous Knowledge, and public input, focusing on invertebrate and seaweed aquaculture to guide new farmers and managers in making informed decisions.
The AOA process aims to streamline permitting through robust ecological analysis, ensure environmental sustainability, increase investor confidence, and ultimately foster responsible industry growth.
The potential environmental impacts should be carefully considered when exploring farming scaling scenarios. State regulations strictly limit the amount of surface area within a bay that may be leased to aquatic farms to 1/3 or less of a bay, bight, or cove. Therefore, most sites are relatively small (on average ~13 acres) compared to the waterbodies they are located in. Consequently, it is assumed that there is no immediate concern regarding resources shortage or outcompeting other phytoplankton-fed native species.