Aquaculture in Alaska
Encyclopedia
Aquaculture in Alaska is dominated by the production shellfish and aquatic plants. These include Pacific oyster
s, blue mussels, littleneck clams, scallops, and bull kelp
. Finfish farming has been prohibited in Alaska by the 16.40.210 Alaskan statute, however non-profit mariculture continues to provide a steady supply of aquaculture in the state. Many organizations that helped the ban, now encourage the growing of shellfish and other oysters.
Alaskan aquaculture
is an important resource not just for the state, but for the entire country. Alaska is filled with a variety of aquatic fish, shellfish
, plants, and other species that all play an important role in the aquaculture process. Commercial salmon and herring fisheries dominate Alaskan harvesting and production and harvesting sights are located on the coast line throughout the state, producing an average of 750 million pounds each year. Commercial shellfish fisheries also greatly contribute to annual statistics and at its high point 400 million pounds of shellfish have been produced in one year.
to Alaskan waters provide one of the most important industries in Alaska. Beginning in the 1880s, commercial salmon fishing has become a dominant area of Alaskan aquaculture. Over the course of four years the average salmon harvest by commercial fishermen was approximately 157 million fish or 742 million pounds and averaged an annual value of over $230 million. Many inhabitants of Alaska greatly rely on the salmon harvest each year for income and cultural purposes. Major salmon fisheries in Alaska are located in the Yukon, Bristol Bay, Southeast/Yakutat, Cook Inlet, Chignik/Kodiak, Copper River, and Prince William Sound areas..
ocean ranching has continued to support commercial fisheries and feed the Alaskan people. Herring are harvested in late Summer to Fall in Southern Alaska and Norton Sound areas after the spawning process has taken place. Spawning
begins in the early Spring in Southern Alaska and ends in the middle of the Summer months in the Northern Bering Sea
. Major commercial herring fisheries are located in the Norton Sound, Cape Romanzof, Kuskokwi, Bristol Bay
, Alaskan Peninsula, Kodiak, Prince William Sound, and Southeast Alaska areas. Herring eggs can also be harvested after they are deposited by the herring on shoreline vegetation, which includes wild and Pound kelp.
, which includes the varieties of blue, scarlet, golden, and red. Red king crabs dominate over the other species in commercial harvesting and are most commonly found in the Bristol Bay area and less commonly but still found in the Southeast, Norton Sound, and Adak areas. Other important crabs harvested in Alaskan areas include the Tanner crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab.
production was a key and important role in Alaskan shellfish harvests but an increase in Pacific cod
caused shrimp production to decrease. Small trawl shrimp fisheries are still located in Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, Bering Sea, and Aleutian Island areas..
fisheries in Southeast Alaska and fisheries in the Cook Inlet specifically for razor clams.
Scallops- Scallops are dredged off the Eastern Gulf of Alaska and continue to be the overall largest commercial species in the world.
Sea Cucumbers- Sea cucumbers are harvested in Southeast Alaska during the winter months in dive fisheries.
Octopus- octopus
es and squid harvesting occur in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska for commercial purposes.
Pacific oyster
The Pacific oyster, Japanese oyster or Miyagi oyster , is an oyster native to the Pacific coast of Asia. It has become an introduced species in North America, Australia, Europe, and New Zealand.- Etymology :...
s, blue mussels, littleneck clams, scallops, and bull kelp
Nereocystis
Nereocystis is a genus of kelp. It forms thick beds on rocks, and is an important part of kelp forests. There is only one species, Nereocystis luetkeana. It can grow to a maximum of 74 meters...
. Finfish farming has been prohibited in Alaska by the 16.40.210 Alaskan statute, however non-profit mariculture continues to provide a steady supply of aquaculture in the state. Many organizations that helped the ban, now encourage the growing of shellfish and other oysters.
Overview
Aquaculture
Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
is an important resource not just for the state, but for the entire country. Alaska is filled with a variety of aquatic fish, shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
, plants, and other species that all play an important role in the aquaculture process. Commercial salmon and herring fisheries dominate Alaskan harvesting and production and harvesting sights are located on the coast line throughout the state, producing an average of 750 million pounds each year. Commercial shellfish fisheries also greatly contribute to annual statistics and at its high point 400 million pounds of shellfish have been produced in one year.
Salmon
The ocean ranching of returning salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
to Alaskan waters provide one of the most important industries in Alaska. Beginning in the 1880s, commercial salmon fishing has become a dominant area of Alaskan aquaculture. Over the course of four years the average salmon harvest by commercial fishermen was approximately 157 million fish or 742 million pounds and averaged an annual value of over $230 million. Many inhabitants of Alaska greatly rely on the salmon harvest each year for income and cultural purposes. Major salmon fisheries in Alaska are located in the Yukon, Bristol Bay, Southeast/Yakutat, Cook Inlet, Chignik/Kodiak, Copper River, and Prince William Sound areas..
Herring
Beginning in the 1880s, commercial herringHerring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
ocean ranching has continued to support commercial fisheries and feed the Alaskan people. Herring are harvested in late Summer to Fall in Southern Alaska and Norton Sound areas after the spawning process has taken place. Spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
begins in the early Spring in Southern Alaska and ends in the middle of the Summer months in the Northern Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
. Major commercial herring fisheries are located in the Norton Sound, Cape Romanzof, Kuskokwi, Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay is the eastern-most arm of the Bering Sea, at 57° to 59° North 157° to 162° West in Southwest Alaska. Bristol Bay is 400 km long and 290 km, wide at its mouth...
, Alaskan Peninsula, Kodiak, Prince William Sound, and Southeast Alaska areas. Herring eggs can also be harvested after they are deposited by the herring on shoreline vegetation, which includes wild and Pound kelp.
Crabs
Crabs are a dominant and famous source of aquaculture found in Alaska, particularly the king crabKing crab
King crabs, also called stone crabs, are a superfamily of crab-like decapod crustaceans chiefly found in cold seas. Because of their large size and the taste of their meat, many species are widely caught and sold as food, the most common being the red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus.King...
, which includes the varieties of blue, scarlet, golden, and red. Red king crabs dominate over the other species in commercial harvesting and are most commonly found in the Bristol Bay area and less commonly but still found in the Southeast, Norton Sound, and Adak areas. Other important crabs harvested in Alaskan areas include the Tanner crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab.
Shrimp
In the 1980s shrimpShrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
production was a key and important role in Alaskan shellfish harvests but an increase in Pacific cod
Pacific Cod
The Pacific cod, Gadus macrocephalus, is an important commercial food species. It is also known as gray cod, gray goo, gray wolf, grayest or grayfish. It has three separate dorsal fins, and the catfish-like whiskers on its lower jaw. In appearance, it is similar to the Atlantic Cod...
caused shrimp production to decrease. Small trawl shrimp fisheries are still located in Southeast Alaska, Kodiak, Bering Sea, and Aleutian Island areas..
Other Species
Clams- Alaska has clamClam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
fisheries in Southeast Alaska and fisheries in the Cook Inlet specifically for razor clams.
Scallops- Scallops are dredged off the Eastern Gulf of Alaska and continue to be the overall largest commercial species in the world.
Sea Cucumbers- Sea cucumbers are harvested in Southeast Alaska during the winter months in dive fisheries.
Octopus- octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
es and squid harvesting occur in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska for commercial purposes.