The Southeast Conference (SEC) is committed to the development of sustainable industry across the region and recognizes the importance of developing mariculture while listening to the communities who will benefit from the development. SEC is working to develop a processing facility for Prince of Wales Island, a part of Southeast Alaska synonymous with productive resources and living with the land.
The mariculture industry is growing rapidly and Prince of Wales Island is a prime location to develop the industry. SEC’s project is designed with community in mind so seafood can be processed by a number of independent fisherman, aquaculturists, shellfish harvesters, and people who are looking to start up their own mariculture business. This project stands to make Prince of Wales a keystone location for Southeast Alaska’s mariculture industry.
The Prince of Wales Mariculture Shared Processing Facility effort was launched through a Request for Proposals in November of 2022, with the stated goals:
- Engage regional stakeholders
- Establish site location, land, structure, and right-of-way agreements
- Determine pre-construction design and existing facility enhancement opportunities
- Perform infrastructure needs analysis and environmental due diligence
- Identify sustainable processing technology and applicable equipment
