February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

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THE CASE FOR MARINE FINFISH AQUACULTURE IN ALASKA
Scott Smiley
University of Alaska Fish Tech Center
118 Trident Way
Kodiak AK 99615 USA
smiley@sfos.uaf.edu
NOAA Fisheries presented their plan for the development of offshore finfish aquaculture in Alaska. They chose Pacific halibut
(Hippoglossus stenolepis) and sablefish or black cod (Anoplopoma fimbria) as models. These species are currently harvested
in Alaska under IFQ permits that are traded and have a considerable value that fluctuates in the market place. Unfortunately for
NOAA Fisheries, many Alaskans had purchased IFQs, some using their life savings. The notion that the Government would
assist in building an off shore aquaculture business to raise halibut and black cod was perceived as a financial threat to these
fishermen. Shortly afterwards the Alaska State Legislature outlawed marine finfish aquaculture in Alaskan state waters, out to
3 miles. Subsequently the Alaskan Congressional delegation made it clear that participation in NOAA fisheries plan to develop
a marine aquaculture industry in Alaska’s US federal waters (3 to 200 miles off shore) would require permission of the state.
Aside from the perceived threat to their financial well-being, Alaskan harvesters have seen the consequences of competition
with a marine aquaculture system in salmon. Once Alaska was world leader in the salmon industry, but over the past 25 years,
competition from pen reared salmon has changed the market opportunities for Alaska’s wild fish. Atlantic (Salmo salar) and
coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) have become the price leaders in many US retail outlets and farmed salmon define high
quality. This has alienated many Alaskan salmon fishing families who do not entertain the idea of marine finfish aquaculture
in Alaska.
Yet, Alaska has allowed and practiced salmon aquaculture though its hatchery system for more than 30 years. Employing what
is termed Ocean Ranching, these hatcheries account for roughly a third of all the salmon harvested in Alaska. In 2007, more
than 212 million salmon were harvested and more than 77 million, or 36% were derived from Private-Non-Profit (PNP), state
and federal hatcheries, which took from the common property fishery 19 million fish for their cost recovery. The hatcheries collect
gametes, fertilize the eggs, incubate embryos, feed hatchlings and after imprinting them, release smolt into oceanic waters
to return with wild conspecifics. The PNP hatcheries cover their expenses through cost-recovery harvests. This talk will focus
on the advantages and disadvantages of expanding aquaculture of marine finfish in Alaska.