Alaska Sea Grant invests over $1 million in research

November 17, 2015

Alaska Sea Grant has awarded more than $1 million to six new research projects focused on critical coastal environmental and economic challenges in Alaska.

“We selected these six because they are creative and innovative research projects that contribute to our focus areas in healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and resilient communities and economies," said Ginny Eckert, Alaska Sea Grant research director.

Project topics include predation on hatchery and wild juvenile salmon, shoreline erosion around Bristol Bay’s watershed, costs and benefits of whale watching in Juneau, environmental change in Cordova, salmon growth in response to climate change on Kodiak Island, and state-federal pollock fisheries management policies.

"Alaska Sea Grant’s funding supports research that is important to coastal communities in our state,” said Paula Cullenberg, Alaska Sea Grant director. “At the same time, we are investing in Alaskan researchers and the next generation of resource managers and scientists by supporting graduate traineeships in Alaska’s universities.”

Alaska Sea Grant is a partnership between UAF and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that supports marine research and provides extension services to coastal communities around Alaska and is one of 32 Sea Grant programs throughout the nation.