Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

The School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is responsible for statewide programs relating to Alaska's vast marine and freshwater environments and fisheries.

Marine education, research, fishery technology and extension work are conducted through several departments of the school. The Institute of Marine Science, with major laboratory facilities in Fairbanks and at the Seward Marine Center, focuses on oceanographic research and education. Kasitsna Bay near Homer is the site of a coastal laboratory with spectacular intertidal and subtidal communities. The Global Undersea Research Unit in Fairbanks emphasizes the use of submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, and other undersea observing systems. The Juneau Center is adjacent to the NOAA Fisheries Auke Bay laboratory and near regional laboratories and headquarters of several state and federal agencies. The Fishery Industrial Technology Center at Kodiak houses research in seafood science and sustainable harvest technology. The Marine Advisory Program offers public education and outreach statewide from its offices in Anchorage and several coastal communities.

The school offers the B.S. degree in fisheries through the fisheries division. M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are offered in oceanography, marine biology and fisheries. Students can pursue studies in seafood science through the interdisciplinary program. Undergraduate fisheries majors are prepared for graduate study or to enter management, private industry or other fields. Fieldwork opportunities are available to undergraduate students through cooperating state and federal agencies. Graduate students prepare for careers including university research and education, and research or management with state and federal agencies and private industry. As part of their degree programs, graduate students conduct research in collaboration with faculty, often in remote locations throughout the oceans and seas around Alaska. For more information, visit www.sfos.uaf.edu or call 907-474-7824.