NOAA Fisheries has taken the next step in exploring offshore aquaculture development in Alaska, filing a Notice of Intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) for potential Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in state waters.

The move kicks off a 45-day public scoping period, open through May 28, 2026, where fishermen, coastal communities, and stakeholders can weigh in on where and how aquaculture could be sited– and what impacts it may bring.

At the center of the process is whether NOAA and its partner agencies will identify one or more AOAs from a list of 77 potential sites outlined in the  Aquaculture Opportunity Area Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska. Those options represent roughly 13,000 acres across Southeast, Southcentral, and Southwest Alaska that have been flagged as suitable for development.

Two paths are on the table: take no action, or move forward with identifying AOAs and evaluating the environmental, economic, and cultural impacts of siting farms in those areas.

For Alaska’s fleet, one key detail stands out– any development would be limited to shellfish and seaweed. Finfish farming remains off the table under state law.

NOAA Fisheries is leading the effort alongside a long list of state and federal partners, including the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Public input will help shape the scope of the PEIS, including which alternatives are fully analyzed. Comments can be submitted online through the federal rulemaking portal, by mail to NOAA’s Alaska Regional Office in Juneau, or during two virtual public meetings scheduled as part of the scoping process.