NOAA Fisheries is seeking public input on potential aquaculture opportunity areas (AOAs) in Alaska as the agency develops a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS).
NOAA has worked in partnership with the state of Alaska since June 2023 to identify 77 locations along the Gulf of Alaska that are environmentally, socially, and economically appropriate to support commercial aquaculture activities. The 77 potential AOAs identified in the initial atlas cover more than 13,000 acres, with individual sites ranging from 50 to 2,000 acres. The atlas includes 11 intertidal options and 66 subtidal locations.
The recently filed notice of intent for the PEIS will “evaluate the potential impacts of identifying one or more AOAs in state waters of the Gulf of Alaska and will discuss the potential impacts of siting aquaculture facilities in those locations,” according to the U.S. government Federal Registrar.
NOAA Fisheries is the lead agency for the PEIS. Other agencies include the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“The 77 final options resulted in 13,031 acres identified as suitable for aquaculture across Southeast, Southcentral, and Southwest Alaska study areas,” NOAA said in the release. “The PEIS will only consider shellfish and seaweeds, as Alaska state law prohibits finfish farming.”
Public comments can be made at the virtual public scoping meetings 22 April or 28 April, submitted electronically through the federal e-rulemaking portal or via mail to NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator for Alaska Jon Kurland.
The PEIS is expected to be completed in two years, with a tentative draft scheduled for publication in the winter of 2027 and the final draft scheduled for publication in spring 2028.
Topics include analyzing the federal National Environmental Policy Act's scope for a range of reasonable alternatives and number of locations, the types of aquaculture that are to be considered, information on the technologies and strategies for mitigating risk, potential impacts to an array of resources and interactions with marine mammals and protected species, impacts on local fishing and Native coastal communities, effects on current and planned activities in the area, and impacts on the human environment.
Responses are due 28 May.
