March 16, 2026 — A new Aquaculture Atlas for the Gulf of Alaska says the state’s aquaculture sector may be uniquely positioned to adapt to future climate scenarios, but that risks remain.
Shifts in water quality, disease outbreaks and intensified harmful algal bloom levels could threaten production and public health, the NOAA report said.
Additionally, expanding and shifting ranges of non-native or invasive species can affect ecosystem health and aquaculture viability in the future, according to the report.
The time series data used in the document, which was released in February, are relatively short, as they were not intended to distinguish climate-scale changes over time. Integrating longer-scale datasets, climate scenarios, and techno-economic modeling into future planning will be essential for building a resilient aquaculture industry, researchers said.