UAS Applied Fisheries

09/19/2026

We are very excited to announce the arrival of the newest addition to our mariculture program… the UAS Mariculture Facility!

The UAS-Sitka Campus has acquired a floating lab from OceansAlaska in Ketchikan that will give our Applied Fisheries programs the opportunity to grow the early life stages of a variety of mariculture species. This facility has the capacity to cultivate 3,000,000 pacific oyster seed and shellfish and seaweed species.

We are excited to provide unique opportunities for education, industry and research right in front of our campus. This project was made possible by the monumental effort of many people across the UA system and beyond. We can’t wait to share the space with you all!

09/18/2026

snorkeling for your kelp sorus tissue >>> tidepooling for your kelp sorus tissue

09/11/2026

09/11/2026

More fishy fun in Week 2 of the AK Aquaculture Semester!

Students spent their second week of class taking and reading otoliths with NSRRA, calculating fecundities at the Sitka Sound Science Center, collecting kidney and ovarian samples, spawning out at Medvejie Hatchery, and practicing some water sampling techniques in different areas within the Sitka Sound. Not a bad way to spend a sunny week

06/04/2026

Dive in with UAS!

If you are a student interested in fisheries, diving, and marine biology, and would like to deepen your studies with a field-based program in Alaska, please join us in the Spring of 2027 for a semester of diving in the Sitka Sound of Southeast Alaska!

Fill out an interest form in our bio.

05/13/2026

Mementos from a triumphant kelp harvest 🔱

Last week, the UAS Mariculture Team harvested Three-ribbed Kelp (Cymathaere triplicata) that had been outplanted by last fall’s Alaska Aquaculture Semester, in addition to an over wintered line of Split Kelp (Hedophyllum nigripes). The kelp was brought back to the university and distributed to local gardeners to be used as a soil amendment.

04/30/2026

A Kelp-tastic 2026 Aquaculture Lab!

Between visiting an oyster farm, touring two salmon enhancement facilities, pressing seaweed for the UAS herbarium, dissecting oysters, and inoculating microalgae students were BUSY during this 3-day lab intensive. Students came from across the state and country to learn about the current and growing industries of Alaskan Aquaculture. Big thanks to all those who attended in addition to our community partners for giving our students the opportunity to learn from Alaskan industry professionals.

04/08/2026

Shellebrating the success of our 5th annual Oyster Hatchery Training Workshop in Ketchikan that took place at the Oceans Alaska barge facility in Ketchikan!

Attendees got hands on experience learning about:

- Basic biology/anatomy including dissection
- Microalgae production techniques
- Spawning
- Larval rearing
- Seed setting
- Site selection and water quality
- Land-based nursery rearing
- FLUPSY production

Huge thanks to Oceans Alaska, Alaska Sea Grant, The Alaska Mariculture Research & Training Center, B&B Mariculture, Eric Wyatt, and SeaGrove for working with the UAS Applied Fisheries Team to make this workshop happen!

03/27/2026

First come herring, then come the whales!

Our UAS Sitka Whale Lab team is gearing up for the spring field season to continue research on humpback whales and gray whales during herring spawn. The humpback whales are arriving to eat the herring before they spawn, whereas the gray ways are showing up post-spawn to eat the herring eggs. We will be out on the water collecting tissue samples, tagging whales, as well as using photo-identification, population dynamics work, genetics, and foraging ecology. If you see us out on the water, say hi!

If students want to get involved or volunteer during fieldwork season, email Assistant Professor Lauren Wild, Ph.D ([email protected]).

03/20/2026

Mariculture Conference of Alaska 2026!

The UAS Mariculture Team spent last week in Anchorage connecting with industry partners, farmers, students, and mariculture enthusiasts alike, while learning about and sharing the exciting work happening across the state.

Assistant Professor Angie Bowers presented on mariculture training and innovation at UAS alongside industry partners, and co-led a workshop on integrating salmon aquaculture with mariculture farming.

Sara Ebersole, UAS Mariculture Expansion Specialist and M.S. candidate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, shared her research examining optimal oyster seed sizes for Alaska’s oyster farmers.

We also invited a few current and former Applied Fisheries students to share about their experiences in the Alaska Aquaculture Semester, promote additional course offerings, and hand out our iconic tote bags 😉.

The dedication to this growing industry is truly inspiring and we are grateful to be a part of it. Thank you to all who make this event possible!