Alaska

Alaska's dynamic, often ice-covered seas are home to a remarkable diversity of life—crustaceans, fish, seals, sea lions, porpoises, whales, and more. Few places in the world offer such beauty and bounty. This region of nearly 1.5 million square miles includes waters in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea.

Alaska produces more than half the fish caught in waters off the coast of the United States, with an average wholesale value of nearly $4.5 billion a year. Alaska's fisheries are among the best-managed, most sustainable in the world. Alaska resources provide jobs and a stable food supply for the nation, while supporting a traditional way of life for Alaska Native and local fishing communities.

Together, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office and Alaska Fisheries Science Center help ensure the sustainability of these marine resources for generations.

Featured News

head of bowhead whale peaking out of the water

First sighting of subadult bowhead whale on March 27, 2024 at 11:45 am in Sitka Sound, Alaska, USA (57.06N, 135.53W). Credit: Ellen Chenoweth from the vessel Pioneer. NOAA Fisheries MMPA/ESA Permit No. 24378.

Feature Story

First Bowhead Whale Sighting in Southeast Alaska

Alaska

A scientist filters water samples in the R/V Bell M. Shimada Chemistry Lab. Credit: UW APL/Phil LaMothe.

Feature Story

From Water to Data: A Roadmap for Using eDNA in Stock Assessments

Alaska

A new ocean model developed by NOAA researchers could help us to more effectively manage critically important species along the West Coast and in Alaska, like snow crab. Credit: iStock

Feature Story

NOAA Launches New Ocean Modeling System for West Coast and Alaska

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West Coast

National

Alaska harbor seals and their pups rest on ice

Feature Story

Late Spring Brings Sun, Flowers—and Harbor Seal Pups to Alaska’s Glacial Fjords

Alaska

A grid (three rows with four columns) of pictures of seafood dishes with each photo labeled with a month of the year. January is sablefish, February blue mussels gratin, March monkfish bisque, April opah chili, May steamed clams, June sheet pan shrimp and vegetable fajitas, July fried bluefish, August scup poke bowl, September grilled scallops, October grilled barbeque oysters, November Alaska pollock enchiladas, and December grilled spiced mahimahi filets

Celebrate Culinary Arts Month with a sustainable seafood recipe for every month of the year.

Feature Story

What Your Birth Month Says About Your Next Seafood Recipe

Alaska

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Pacific Islands

Southeast

West Coast

National

Fisheries

Pacific Halibut Recreational Quota Entity Program Fee Collection

Alaska

Fisheries

2025-2026 Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications

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Fisheries

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone off Alaska: Cook Inlet; Final 2025 Harvest Specifications for Salmon

Alaska

Fisheries

Federal Register Notices of Proposed and/or Continuing Information Collections as Required by the Paperwork Reduction Act

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Fisheries

Amendment 125 to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Fishery Management Plan; Pacific Cod Small Boat Access

Alaska

IB 25-27: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Dusky Rockfish in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska

IB 25-26: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Ocean Perch in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska

IB 25-25: NMFS Prohibits Retention of Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using Trawl Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska

IB 25-24: Apportionment of the Groundfish Reserve in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

Alaska

IB 25-23: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Vessels using Jig Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska

Notice of Funding Opportunity: New Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Marketing

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Fiscal Year 2024–2026: Broad Agency Announcement

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Featured Highlights

A ribbon seal with dark brown hair and a pattern of large white ribbons on the chest raises her head and shoulders above the water line and looks around among ice floes.

An adult female ribbon seal looks around among ice floes in the Bering Sea. Animals are much harder to detect during aerial surveys when they are in the water. Credit: NOAA Fisheries / Josh M London / Photo taken under authority of NOAA Fisheries Research Permit #23858.

New Study Will Improve Abundance Estimates for Bearded, Ribbon, and Spotted Seals in Alaska

Alaska

A crowd of people surrounds a fin whale carcass on the shore

Late afternoon residents walk to investigate the fin whale carcass. Credit: Bridget Crokus, volunteer Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services

47-Foot Fin Whale Found Washed Ashore Near Anchorage

Alaska

Spring Chinook Salmon. Credit: Michael Humling, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Alaska Salmon Research Task Force

Alaska

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Our high quality research supports sustainable management and conservation of Alaska marine species with economic and cultural benefits for the nation. Alaska waters support some of the most important commercial fisheries in the world. Large and diverse populations of whales, seals, sea lions, and porpoises and Alaska native hunting and fishing communities also share these waters.

We study the health and size of marine animal populations. We also study the key areas where these animals feed, breed, and grow. To study ocean habitats, we monitor environmental conditions important to sustain marine life. For instance, we regularly monitor sea surface temperatures in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. We analyze biological, oceanographic and ecological data collected during research surveys and by trained fisheries observers in our laboratories. From this, we learn more about marine animal diets, age, growth and reproduction, food web dynamics and the role of humans in marine ecosystems. We use this and other information to monitor changes to marine animal populations and Alaska ecosystems over time.

Fish and Crab Science

Fisheries Monitoring (Observer Program)

Marine Mammal Science

Ecosystem Science

Sustainable Fisheries

The Alaska Regional Office works with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to manage Alaska’s sustainable fisheries. Using the best available science, we work through the Council process authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to develop measures for best management of Alaska’s fisheries, considering a range of factors such as the health of the fish stocks and economic impact of fishery practices. Once fishing levels and regulations are adopted and approved, the Alaska Regional Office works to implement the Council decisions. The goal is to allow fishermen to harvest the optimum amount of fish while leaving enough in the ocean to reproduce and provide future fishing opportunities in perpetuity.

Commercial Fishing

Recreational (Sport) Fishing

Subsistence Fishing

Resources and Programs

Protected Marine Life Overview

The Protected Resources Division works to conserve and recover marine mammals in close coordination with the State of Alaska and other partners. To manage protected marine species, as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and Fur Seal Act, the Alaska Region advances recovery of threatened and endangered species and the conservation of marine mammals, including whales, seals, and sea lions. We work to minimize interactions between marine mammals and commercial fisheries; promote responsible marine mammal viewing practices; coordinate response to stranded or entangled marine mammals; consult with federal agencies to minimize project effects on threatened and endangered species; and cooperatively manage subsistence use of marine mammals through co-management agreements with Alaska Native organizations.

Endangered Species Conservation

Protecting Marine Life

Pinnipeds

Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises

Habitat Conservation

NOAA Fisheries conducts and reviews environmental analyses for a large variety of activities ranging from commercial fishing, to coastal development, to large transportation and energy projects. Working with industries, stakeholder groups, government agencies, and private citizens, we ensure that these activities have minimal impact on essential fish habitat and marine life in Alaska. Our habitat conservation activities include protecting essential fish habitat, mitigating damage to and enhancing habitat affected by hydropower project construction and operations, removing invasive species, and restoring habitat that has been affected by development, oil spills, and other human activities. We focus on habitats used by federally-managed fish species located offshore, nearshore, in estuaries, and in freshwater areas important to migratory salmon.

Essential Fish Habitat

Resource Tools

Habitat Programs

Habitat Restoration

Featured Species

Alaska's coastal communities depend on healthy marine resources to support commercial and recreational fisheries, tourism, and the Alaskan way of life. Our mission at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office is the science-based stewardship of Alaska’s marine resources and their habitats in the Gulf of Alaska, eastern Bering Sea, and Arctic oceans. We are responsible for supporting sustainable fisheries, recovering and conserving protected species, such as whales and seals, and promoting healthy ecosystems and resilient Alaska coastal communities.

Alaska

Alaska

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