alaska mariculture

What alaska mariculture does

Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit industry association founded in 2021 and headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, that serves as the coordinating body for the state's commercial shellfish and seaweed (kelp) mariculture sector. It was established to succeed the Alaska Mariculture Task Force and operationalizes the Alaska Mariculture Development Plan and 5-Year Action Plan, administering roughly $54 million in grant capital — a $5 million matching grant program and the $49 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant awarded in September 2022 — to support growers, processors, Alaska Native corporations, tribes, municipalities, and research institutions.

AMA's core "products" are member services and programs rather than software: a tiered membership program (dues from $25 student up to $2,500 large voting member), grant and revolving loan administration (AMC Revolving Loan Fund), workforce development via mariculture apprenticeships, the Alaska Mariculture Cluster (AMC) marketing program with unified branding and FAM trips, the annual Mariculture Conference of Alaska, a monthly newsletter, and policy advocacy at the state and federal level. Technology infrastructure consists of a public WordPress website (alaskamariculture.org) and a member-only media library; no proprietary platform, API, or AI system is offered.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership dues and pass-through grant administration; the organization does not disclose its own revenue, while industry farm-gate value (oyster sales alone) reached $2.67 million in 2021 with 25 farms. AMA's go-to-market is community-led: it convenes 100+ member organizations representing the full value chain from hatcheries to processors, leveraging digital channels (newsletter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), earned media (KTOO, Alaska Business Monthly, The Fish Site), webinars, and the annual conference to coordinate industry development rather than sell discrete products.

Name

alaska mariculture

Legal name

Alaska Mariculture Alliance

Website

https://alaskamariculture.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA) is a nonprofit industry association in Anchorage, Alaska that coordinates the state's shellfish and kelp aquaculture sector through membership, grant and loan administration ($54M+), workforce training, marketing, and policy advocacy for 100+ member growers, processors, tribes, and researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mariculture Trade Association

NAICS

Other Aquaculture (112519), Aquaculture (1125)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Seaweed & Algae Aquaculture (incl. microalgae) (AFAEAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB), Offshore & Open-Ocean Aquaculture (AFAEAAAH), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Shellfish aquaculture support
• Seaweed farming support
• Mariculture grant administration
• Aquaculture workforce training
• Mariculture policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Anchorage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: AMA generates revenue through annual membership dues from voting and supporting members across the mariculture industry including growers, processors, researchers, and allied businesses.
2. Grant Administration: AMA administers critical programs including a $5 million mariculture matching grant and supports farmers hosting mariculture apprenticeships. The organization also received Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant funding ($49 million) for industry development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Alaska Mariculture Alliance is a private nonprofit membership association that brings together shellfish and seaweed growers, processors, researchers, tribal leaders, municipalities, and coastal communities. It supports Alaska's mariculture sector through grant and loan administration, technical assistance, apprenticeships, policy advocacy, market development, member networking, and industry communications.

Product overview

The Alaska Mariculture Alliance (AMA) is a membership-based industry organization (not a traditional software product company) focused on growing Alaska's sustainable shellfish and kelp mariculture industry. Rather than a unified software platform, AMA offers a portfolio of member services including membership programs (voting and supporting tiers), grant administration ($5 million matching grant program), workforce development (apprenticeship programs), industry advocacy, a marketing program (Alaska Mariculture Cluster), a revolving loan fund, networking resources (member directory), and an annual conference. The organization connects industry members through its website, media library, and newsletter to shape policy, provide training, and develop markets for Alaska oysters and kelp.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alaska Mariculture Cluster: Marketing program for Alaska mariculture products including unified branding and promotional initiatives
• Mariculture Conference of Alaska

Products and services

• Alaska Mariculture Alliance Membership Program Paid annual membership program with voting and supporting tiers for individuals, families, small and growing operations, established organizations, students, and individual or major supporters involved in or supporting Alaska mariculture.
• Mariculture Matching Grant Administration Administration of a $5 million matching-grant program that provides funding opportunities to farmers and other eligible participants in Alaska's mariculture industry.
• Mariculture Apprenticeship Program Workforce-development service that supports farms hosting mariculture trainees and provides practical training to build the industry's labor pool.
• Alaska Mariculture Cluster Marketing Program Industry marketing service that promotes Alaska oysters and kelp through unified branding, media relations, familiarization trips, and industry events.
• AMC Revolving Loan Fund Provides loans to eligible businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, and municipal governments to increase access to mariculture, with collateral support for borrowers who do not qualify for traditional loans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 872,000 pounds of seaweed harvested in 2022 (record production)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alaska Blue Economy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks center focused on blue economy research and development, supporting mariculture industry through academic research and workforce development.
• Alaska Fisheries Development FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner that received NOAA grant for Alaska Mariculture Initiative in 2014 with vision to grow a $1 billion industry in 30 years. Led development of the Mariculture Development Plan.
• Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in harmful algal bloom monitoring and data tools for the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network.
• Alaska Sea GrantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research and education partner providing funding, training programs, and conference organization support for Alaska mariculture.
• Chugach Regional Resources CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlaska Native organization partner involved in king crab hatchery research and collaborative mariculture research initiatives.
• EcotrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner conducting Alaska Mariculture Cluster grant evaluation and economic research.
• GreenWaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing education and training opportunities for kelp farmers including the Kelp Climate Fund grants.
• Metlakatla Indian CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlaska Native tribe partner engaged in mariculture industry development.
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing significant funding ($49M Build Back Better grant), regulatory support, aquaculture opportunity area designation, and research collaboration including the Alaska Aquaculture Atlas.
• Pacific Shellfish InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing market outlook analysis and harmful algal bloom expertise through webinars and industry education.
• Prince William Sound Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner conducting kelp hatchery studies and mariculture research including baby kelp studies.
• Spruce Root, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner hosting kelp drying webinars and providing technical assistance to growers.
• University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor academic partner in fisheries department and marine biology, leading seaweed mariculture permitting protocol development and hosting the Alaska Blue Economy Center.
• Alutiiq Pride Marine InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlaska Native organization providing permitting workshops and mariculture liaison services on the Kenai Peninsula.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alaska Shellfish Growers Association: Alaska-based membership association for shellfish growers. Direct peer to AMA in serving Alaska mariculture members, with a narrower shellfish-only focus compared to AMA's shellfish-plus-seaweed scope.
• Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association: Regional trade association representing shellfish growers across the U.S. West Coast. Directly comparable to AMA in its role as a shellfish industry advocate, grant administrator, and conference organizer, but with a broader multi-state footprint.
• National Aquaculture Association: U.S. national industry association representing aquaculture producers including shellfish, finfish, and seaweed farmers. Comparable to AMA in mission and structure, operating at a federal advocacy level rather than a single-state focus.
• Maine Aquaculture Association: State-level industry association supporting Maine's shellfish and seaweed aquaculture growers. Direct peer to AMA in scope and member services (training, advocacy, market development), but serving a different coastal geography.
• Pacific Shellfish Institute: Research and education nonprofit supporting the Pacific shellfish industry. Comparable to AMA in research, training, and market-outlook work, though with a West Coast research orientation rather than an Alaska industry-coordination focus.
• Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation: Alaska-based nonprofit that led the Mariculture Development Plan and helped secure NOAA funding for the original Alaska Mariculture Initiative. Directly comparable to AMA in mission and is a core AMA partner and predecessor organization.

Regional players

• Aquaculture Association of Canada: Canadian national aquaculture industry association. Comparable to AMA in advocacy and industry development role for cold-water aquaculture, but operates in Canada rather than Alaska.
• Kachemak Shellfish Mariculture Association: Local Alaska shellfish growers association in the Kachemak Bay region. A smaller, geographically narrower peer to AMA, focused on a single Alaska bay rather than statewide coordination.

Emerging players

• Alaska Sea Grant: NOAA-funded university extension program supporting Alaska's coastal communities and seafood industry. A core AMA partner that also co-organizes the Mariculture Conference of Alaska, making it a closely overlapping enabling organization.

Broad incumbents

• Sea Grant (NOAA National Program): National federal-academic extension network supporting coastal aquaculture, fisheries, and marine industries. A broader enabling incumbent that funds and complements state-level associations like AMA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AKMaricultureAlliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlaskaMaricultureAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alaska-mariculture-alliance/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/alaskamariculturealliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about alaska mariculture