TRUCK FIRE – Firefighters knock down a fire in a Ford Explorer truck in Arrowhead Trailer Park in the 1200 block of Sawmill Creek Road Saturday evening. One person received fire-related injuries and was taken to the hospital, Sitka Fire Department Chief Craig Warren said, and the truck was considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Warren said. The fire hall received the call about the fire at 5:33 p.m., and one fire engine with eight firefighters and an ambulance were dispatched, he said. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

State Sues EPA For Pebble Mine Decision
18 Mar 2024 14:29

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    The federal government owes Alaska more than $700 billion in comp [ ... ]

Bill Seeks Makeover In State Parole Board
18 Mar 2024 14:26

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    Sylvester Byrd Jr. served nearly three decades in prison for a [ ... ]

City League
18 Mar 2024 14:24

By Sentinel Staff
    Competing Sunday in a City League volleyball match, a short-handed Yellow Je [ ... ]

March 18, 2024, Community Happenings
18 Mar 2024 14:23

Heritage, Cultural
Tourism Event
Here this Week
The ninth annual Heritage and Cultural Tourism Conferen [ ... ]

March 18, 2024, Police Blotter
18 Mar 2024 14:19

Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 15
At 4:30 a.m. a fender bender invol [ ... ]

Sitka Officials Respond: Schools Facing Crisis
15 Mar 2024 14:47

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Rep. Rebecca Himschoot and School Board President Tri [ ... ]

Katlian Road Work Halted; $20M Needed
15 Mar 2024 14:46

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    With $20 million needed to complete the Katlian Bay r [ ... ]

Record Herring Run, Sac Roe GHL Forecast
15 Mar 2024 14:04

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    A historically high herring return is forecast for Sit [ ... ]

Dunleavy Names Judge For Sitka Superior Court
15 Mar 2024 14:03

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    After a year-long vacancy in the Sitka Superior Court  [ ... ]

Dunleavy Vetoes Hike In Education Funding
15 Mar 2024 14:00

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, following through on an ultimatum, vet [ ... ]

Bill Seeks to Lower Cost Of Diagnostic Breast Scre...
15 Mar 2024 13:59

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    For many of the women considered to be at high risk for breast ca [ ... ]

March 15, 2024, Community Happenings
15 Mar 2024 13:52

Climate Connection -- Cruise Tourism Choices
Citizen groups in many port cities have mobilized to pre [ ... ]

March 15, 2024, Police Blotter
15 Mar 2024 13:24

Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 14
An Austin Street resident said a c [ ... ]

Friday Dinner to Aid Cathedral, Homeless
14 Mar 2024 15:09

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The Sitka Homeless Coalition and St. Michael’s Sist [ ... ]

Tourism Industry to Hold Conference Here
14 Mar 2024 15:08

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Sitka’s annual Heritage and Cultural Tourism Confere [ ... ]

House Bill: Child Porn Is Child Sexual Abuse
14 Mar 2024 13:26

By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
    Language matters, the House agreed on Wednesday, when it advan [ ... ]

Small Boost Forecast In State’s Oil Revenue
14 Mar 2024 13:25

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A new state revenue forecast that includes modestly higher oil pr [ ... ]

March 14, 2024, Police Blotter
14 Mar 2024 12:15

Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 13
Vehicles left parked at Sealing Co [ ... ]

March 14, 2024, Community Happenings
14 Mar 2024 12:13

SFS, Coliseum
To Show 15 Shorts
The Sitka Film Society and Coliseum Theater will present the Oscar Sho [ ... ]

Sockeye Run Faces 50% Bag Limit Cut
13 Mar 2024 15:13

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Sitka Tribe of Alaska told the Assembly Tuesday that  [ ... ]

City May Take Over Blatchley Pool Operations
13 Mar 2024 14:45

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Among proposals presented to the Assembly Tuesday for [ ... ]

Sitkans to Share Tales of Wooden Boats
13 Mar 2024 14:18

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    The public is invited to a discussion Thursday on the  [ ... ]

Commentary: Outer Coast College Has New Education ...
13 Mar 2024 14:16

By BRYDEN SWEENEY-TAYLOR
Outer Coast executive director
In 1986, two linguists, Ron and Suzie Scollon, [ ... ]

March 13, 2024, Community Happenings
13 Mar 2024 14:01

Vigil on Saturday
At Roundabout
Community members are invited to attend the weekly Voices for Peace vi [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Chamber Told of Mariculture Opportunities

By BRIELLE SCHAEFFER

Sentinel Staff Writer

Alaska has the potential to shell out some big money in mariculture, an industry expert says. 

Markos Scheer, a Seattle-based attorney who also works with the Alaska Mariculture Task Force, told Sitka Chamber of Commerce members Wednesday that the state plans on growing its aquatic cultivating industry to $1 billion in 30 years.

That’s the plan of the group’s initiative, at least. Although that seems big, Scheer said,  “it’s really not the high of a target.”

“One percent of Alaska’s coastline has the production capacity to exceed the rest of the U.S.,” said Scheer, who also is on the Alaska Fisheries Development Association and Sitka Chamber of Commerce boards. “It’s entirely attainable.”

Mariculture could mean many things to the state – growing and harvesting seaweed, oysters, clams, mussels or crabs, but never fish.

“It is not fin fish farm,” he said. “Commercial fishing is an essential pillar in Alaska’s economy.”

Mariculture in the form of oyster farming has been in Alaska for some 100 years, Scheer said. Today, there are  about 30 farms around the state and business is growing. 

That’s where the Task Force comes in.

Its mission is to “enhance wild fisheries and aquatic farming,” among other things, Scheer said.

Members’ vision is that mariculture could be a public-private partnership, he said.  

The 11-member Task Force is working on recommendations that it will forward to the state by January 2018 that could be considered by legislators  in the next session. Chris Whitehead of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska is also on the Task Force. 

The industry would provide jobs and commerce to communities across the state; it’s environmentally friendly and fits in with the culture and infrastructure of coastal towns, Scheer said.

Take seaweed, for example. 

One hundred acres of seeds can produce three million pounds of kelp, which sells for about $2.5 million. The plant is also environmentally friendly because it takes carbon dioxide out of the water.

“It can be used as a counter to ocean acidification,” Scheer said.

Kelp can also be cultivated using long-lining equipment, which coastal communities already have. 

“It fits in with the current industrial complex,” he said. “Part of what I think is so important to development is we don’t want to recreate the wheel.”

Another key is that kelp is grown in the wintertime, so it won’t interfere with fishing seasons or summer recreation, Scheer explained. One business in Juneau – Wild Alaska Kelp Co. – is even making salsa out of its bounty, he said.

Another business, OceansAlaska, a nonprofit hatchery in Ketchikan, cultivates oysters. 

“Mariculture development in Alaska is something that is happening now and has tremendous opportunity for economic development,” he said. “Frankly, there is money to be made. There’s opportunity out there in a large marketplace.”

Markos Scheer (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

 

Comments  

 
# Garry White 2017-04-21 08:12
There is a correction that needs to be made.
I'm not actually on the Task Force. I'm on the board of trustees for the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, which started the Alaska Mariculture Initiative. AFDF's executive director, Julie Decker, is on the Task Force. I'm also the Vice President and on the Sitka Chamber Board, and serve on the Southeast Conference Board of Directors. I do, however, work with the Task Force's Infrastructure and Investment Advisory Committee. Thank you.

Mark Scheer
 

You have no rights to post comments

Login Form

 

20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Businesses using the Centennial Hall parking lot testified Tuesday against a proposal to charge them rent in addition to the $200 annual permit fee. City Administrator Hugh Bevan made the proposal in response to the Assembly’s direction to Centennial Hall manager Don Kluting to try to close the $340,000 gap between building revenues and operational costs.


50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Alaska Native Brotherhood Grand President William S. Paul Sr. will be special guest and speaker at the local ANB, Alaska Native Sisterhood Founders Day program Monday at the ANB Hall.

Calendar

Local Events

Instagram

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Instagram!

Facebook

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Facebook!