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Final AOA Study Areas in Alaska

NOAA Fisheries and the Interagency Working Group identified 10 final AOA study areas in Alaska state waters for further analysis.

Alaska

Table of Contents

Summary


NOAA Fisheries and the Interagency Working Group reviewed public comments submitted through the 60-day Request for Information, and applied best available data in finalizing 10 Alaska AOA Study Areas (Figure 1).

Six final study areas, and one potential study area are located in Southeast Alaska (Figure 2). Southcentral Alaska contains three final study areas (Figure 3). Southwest Alaska contains one expanded study area (Figure 4). 

AOA Study area Alaska
Figure 1. Distribution of AOA Study Areas in Alaska state waters. Orange areas represent final study areas, and purple areas represent potential study areas. Credit: NOAA NCCOS.

Southeast Final AOA Study Areas

Southeast Alaska contains six final study areas and one potential study area. Final study areas include state waters within a 25-mile radius of: Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Craig, and Ketchikan. 

Southeast

AOA Study area Southeast
Figure 2. Distribution of AOA Study Areas in Alaska state waters off Southeast Alaska. Orange areas represent final study areas, purple areas represent potential study areas, and green dots represent existing aquatic farms. Credit: NOAA NCCOS.

Southeast AOA Study Areas contain the following acreage which will be further analyzed for suitability:  

  • Juneau Study Area: 1,550,000 acres
  • Sitka Study Area: 1,829,000 acres
  • Petersburg Study Area: 1,352,000 acres
  • Wrangell Study Area: 1,314,000 acres
  • Craig Study Area: 1,931,000 acres
  • Ketchikan Study Area: 2,045,000 acres

NOAA Fisheries is in conversations with tribal leadership regarding the Metlakatla Study Area. Annette Island and the surrounding tribal waters are the only Indian Reservation in all of Alaska. We will only proceed with this study area at the invitation of the tribe.

The detailed maps of each Southeast AOA Study Areas can be found below.

Southcentral Final AOA Study Areas

Southcentral Alaska contains three final study areas. Final study areas include state waters within a 25-mile radius of: Seward, Valdez, and Cordova.

Southcentral

AOA Study area southcentral
Figure 3. Distribution of Final Study Areas in state waters off Southcentral Alaska. Orange areas represent final study areas, and green dots represent existing aquatic farms, and white areas with purple outline represent the aggregate maximum sea ice cover over the past 10 years. Credit: NOAA NCCOS.

Southcentral AOA Study Areas contain the following acreage which will be further analyzed for suitability:  

  • Seward Study Area: 851,000 acres
  • Valdez Study Area: 819,000 acres
  • Cordova Study Area: 1,279,000 acres

The detailed maps of each Southcentral AOA Study Areas can be found below.

Southwest Final AOA Study Areas

Southwest Alaska contains one expanded final study area within a 25-mile radius of Kodiak, and including a 15-mile buffer around existing aquatic farms.

Southwest

AOA Study area kodiak
Figure 4. Final Kodiak Study Area for state waters off Southwestern Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms. Credit: NOAA NCCOS.

The Southwest AOA Study Area contains the following acreage which will be further analyzed for suitability:  

  • Kodiak Study Area- 3,649,000 acres

The detailed maps of each Southwestern AOA Study Areas can be found below.

Individual Study Area Maps

In addition to the regional maps we have listed above, we are providing more detailed maps around each identified study area below. 

Petersburg Study Area

AOA Study area Petersburg
Figure 5. Proposed Study Area off Petersburg, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Wrangell Study Area

AOA Study area Wrangell
Figure 6. Proposed Study Area off Wrangell, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Craig Study Area

AOA Study area Craig
Figure 7. Proposed Study Area off Craig, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Ketchikan Study Area

AOA study area Ketchikan
Figure 8. Proposed Study Area off Ketchikan, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Metlakatla Proposed Study Area

AOA Study area Metlakatla
Figure 9. Proposed Study Area off Metlakatla, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms

 

Sitka Study Area

AOA Study area Sitka
Figure 10. Proposed Study Area off Sitka, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Juneau Study Area

AOA Study area Juneau
Figure 11. Proposed Study Area off Juneau, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Seward Study Area

AOA Study area Seward
Figure 12. Proposed Study Area off Seward, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Valdez Study Area

AOA study area valdez
Figure 13. Proposed Study Area off Valdez, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms.

 

Cordova Study Area

AOA Study area cordova
Figure 14. Proposed Study Area off Cordova, Alaska (orange). Green dots represent existing aquatic farms. White areas with purple outline represent the aggregate maximum sea ice cover over the previous 10 years.

Interagency Working Group

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers serve as members of the AOA Interagency Working Group.

Point of Contact

Contact Alicia Bishop, Alaska Regional Aquaculture Coordinator at alicia.bishop@noaa.gov or (907) 586-7224. 

More Information

 

Last updated by Alaska Regional Office on 04/02/2024