An Aquaculture Opportunity Areas Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska

Aquaculture has been among the fastest-growing global food production sectors for decades. Although the U.S. has a substantial coastline, the world’s largest exclusive economic zone, a skilled maritime labor force, advanced technology and research, and the second-largest seafood market in the world, U.S. aquaculture production has not kept pace with global trends. For over a century, Alaska has been synonymous with American seafood. While this has primarily been linked to wild-capture fisheries, recent declines in fishing revenue, advances in aquaculture science, technology, and policy, and increasing public and private investment in aquaculture have made Alaska the next frontier for U.S. aquaculture development. However, despite the popular perception of Alaska as a vast open space, the state’s coastal waters are some of the nation’s busiest, with almost every aspect of life and the economy of coastal Alaska intrinsically tied to the ocean. Strategic expansion of aquaculture requires responsible siting led by innovative spatial modeling to integrate pertinent spatial data into an ecosystem-based approach to aquaculture that promotes socially and environmentally sustainable planning. Such an approach facilitates equitable use of resources, and those environmental considerations are addressed at the onset. Presidential Executive Order (E.O.) 13921, Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth (May 7, 2020), and E.O. 14276, Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness (April 17, 2025), called for the expansion of sustainable seafood production in the U.S. to ensure food security; provide environmentally safe and sustainable seafood; support American workers; establish coordinated, predictable, and transparent federal action; and remove unnecessary regulatory burdens. Directives under E.O. 13921 require the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with relevant federal agencies and state and tribal governments to identify Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) suitable for commercial offshore aquaculture development.