What it does
Alaska fisheries development foundation is a 501 c (3) private, non-profit foundation dedicated to identify common opportunities in the alaska seafood industry and to develop efficient, sustainable outcomes that provide benefits to the economy, environment and communities.
Eda bbb r&d program promotes growth of the mariculture sector across alaska. It includes joint innovation projects, seaweed tissue analysis, and the de-risking of farm site selection. It serves numerous stakeholders and communities across the state.
Exxon valdez oil spill trustee council program researches the ecological impacts and benefits of mariculture in the evos area. Afdf works with numerous partners and leads the outreach component of the project.
The alaskan crab fisheries in the bering sea have been challenged by population declines in recent years, while populations of species such as black cod have been challenging to model accurately. Scientific studies have shown that changes in ocean temperatures have contributed to the recruitment, migration and survival of multiple commercial fisheries stocks, with impacts particularly strong in the north pacific and bering sea. Surveys of many species and ocean conditions have typically been conducted during the spring and summer months, opposite of the primary fishing seasons for the major fixed year fisheries including king and snow crab as well as black cod and halibut. Year-round environmental data and more complete in-season catch related data would potentially provide insights to better understand the dynamics of these challenged fisheries and help improve the efficiency and sustainability of operations.