June 2, 2021 — Alaska interest in growing kelp continues to outpace that of shellfish, based on applications filed during the annual window that runs from January through April.
The number of 2021 applicants for aquatic farming dropped to just seven, reversing a steady upward trend that reached 16 last year, likely due to a “wait and see” approach stemming from the pandemic.
“We had people whose personal situations changed because of COVID. They became home-schooling parents, things like that, where they can no longer dedicate the time they thought they were going to have out on a farm site,” said Michell Morris, permit coordinator at the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game. The agency partners with the Dept. of Natural Resources, which leases the lands where aquatic farming takes place.