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Notice of Availability Alaska Draft Aquaculture Opportunity Area Options

Notice |
Alaska

Overview

Action Status
Notice
Issued
04/23/2025
Comments Close
05/23/2025 - Submit electronic public comment
Point of Contact
Alicia Bishop, alicia.bishop@noaa.gov

Summary

On April 23, 2025, NOAA Fisheries announced a 30-day public comment period on the preliminary results of the marine spatial planning study including the identification of Draft Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) Options in Alaska state waters. The Draft AOA Options cover approximately 18,000 acres over 10 AOA study areas. You can view Draft Alaska AOA Options and layers for each study area contained in the report in the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) WebMapper.

NOAA NCCOS, NOAA Fisheries, and the State of Alaska collaborated on a marine spatial planning study to identify Draft AOA Options within the state waters of Southeast, Southcentral, and Southwest Alaska. The spatial planning process included extensive analysis of existing spatial data layers, public participation through multiple stakeholder planning workshops, and a Request for Information to help identify the final AOA study areas. The process also included one-on-one meetings with constituents and a review by the State-Federal Interagency Working Group.

Sunset over the Hump Island Oyster Company docks.
The Hump Island Oyster Company dock. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

The preliminary results of the marine spatial planning study used a scoring and ranking process to narrow the suitability analysis to 97 Draft AOA Options that have high relative suitability scores. In Alaska, the Draft AOA Options include areas:

  • up to 4,000 acres per study area for subtidal shellfish and seaweed aquaculture
  • up to a 100 acres per study area for intertidal shellfish aquaculture

All Draft AOA Options occur within Alaska state waters (less than three nautical miles from shore) up to 61 meters (200 feet) in depth; and meet identified species environmental tolerances and gear thresholds. The marine spatial planning study, An Aquaculture Opportunity Analysis for the Gulf of Alaska, summarizes the methods and analysis used to develop the Draft AOA Options and related suitability modeling efforts.

NOAA Fisheries will consider information received in response to this Notice of Availability when finalizing the results of the spatial planning study and the AOA Options as part of the AOA identification process. After finalizing the marine spatial planning study, NCCOS will develop an Atlas—a technical document providing peer-reviewed geospatial planning information. This Atlas will assist NOAA and the State of Alaska in the AOA identification process.

NOAA may, or may not, identify AOAs within the Draft AOA Options. All NOAA actions will be guided by science, public participation, and a National Environmental Policy Act review. The Atlas does not reflect any agency decision to identify specific AOAs. It also does not limit NOAA’s ability to evaluate alternative locations for consideration as AOAs.

Alaska seaweed farmers hold up their seaweed.
Alaska seaweed farmers with Sea Quester Farms check their crop. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Notice of Availability

NOAA Fisheries requests comments regarding conditions, feasibility, and historic or current activities within or around the Alaska Draft AOA Options. Please see the Notice of Availability in regulations.gov for a list of questions to guide comments. Responses to this request are voluntary. Respondents need not reply to all questions.

Commenters should be as specific and detailed as possible to help NOAA Fisheries understand and address comments, including whether your comment pertains to a particular part of the marine spatial planning study. NOAA Fisheries recognizes that some information requested in the Notice of Availability may be considered privileged, confidential, or historical resources. If you determine that the information you wish to submit may fall under these categories, please do not submit via regulations.gov, rather contact the agency (alicia.bishop@noaa.gov) to discuss options for submission. All submissions to regulations.gov will be considered public.

The public may submit comments by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submission:

Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal (see link at left).

Mail:

Submit written information to Jon Kurland, Regional Administrator for Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: Records Office. Mail comments to P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668.

Listening Sessions & Oral Comments:

NOAA Fisheries and NCCOS will hold two virtual listening sessions for the collection of oral comments at the following dates and times:

Registration for the virtual listening sessions may be completed here. The meetings are open to the public and free to attend. Transcripts and associated slides will be available after the meetings.

Draft AOA Options - Supporting Materials

  • The marine spatial planning study, An Aquaculture Opportunity Analysis for the Gulf of Alaska summarizes the methods and analysis used to develop the Draft AOA Options and related suitability modeling efforts.
  • The NCCOS WebMapper shows the layers for individual maps contained in the marine spatial planning study as well as the locations of the Draft AOA Options.
  • The NCCOS Story Map walks you through the process and the science behind identifying the Draft AOA Options in Alaska.

More Information

Federal Register

Last updated by Alaska Regional Office on 05/15/2025