The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has directives to preserve ocean sustainability and facilitate domestic aquaculture in the U.S. through the National Aquaculture Act of 1980, the NOAA Marine Aquaculture Policy and Executive Order (EO) 13921, “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth.” The EO directed the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with relevant federal agencies, to identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) potentially suitable for commercial offshore aquaculture development. AOAs are identified based on the best available science and through public engagement, to facilitate aquaculture production; support environmental, economic, and social sustainability; and minimize unnecessary resource use conflicts. The identification of AOAs is a planning process.
To support the E.O. requirement to identify AOAs, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) collaborated with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) and the State of Alaska to initiate a marine spatial planning study to identify draft AOA Options within state waters of Alaska. The Final Alaska AOA Study Areas selected for spatial analysis were identified using a series of public engagement approaches including a Request for Information published in the Federal Register (88 FR 72046; October 19, 2023) and one-on-one meetings with partners and local, state, federal and tribal governments. The draft AOA Options within each study area were identified based on public comment, bathymetric data, spatial connectedness to needed infrastructure, existing use considerations, oceanographic and meteorological conditions, cultural resources, natural resources, state and federal statutes, regulations, zoning, and policy, and political boundaries associated with state and federal water demarcations.
This report presents the methods and preliminary results of the Alaska Aquaculture Opportunity Area (AOA) spatial suitability analysis conducted by NOAA, NCCOS. The NCCOS spatial suitability analysis and underlying model detailed in this report are part of a multi-year planning process in which NOAA Fisheries and the State of Alaska are working to identify AOAs in Alaska State waters to help sustainably advance shellfish and seaweed aquaculture (also referred to in Alaska as ‘mariculture’). This report summarizes the engagement, methods, and analysis used to develop the preliminary results (i.e., Draft AOA Options) presented here. This report and preliminary results are being provided for the purposes of sharing methods and results and collecting public input via a NOAA Fisheries Federal Register Notice of Availability prior to the completion of the NCCOS spatial analysis, selection of final AOA Options, and the publication of a comprehensive peer-reviewed NOAA Technical Memorandum entitled, “An Aquaculture Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska.”
Check out the Alaska AOA WebMapper to interactively explore the data, apply filters, and visualize specific areas of interest.