Project Grant 02J56301

DESCRIPTION:THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE. SPECIFICALLY, THE RECIPIENT WILL DETERMINE IF WASTE HEAT CAN BE USED TO EFFICIENTLY DRY LARGE QUANTITIES OF SEAWEED. THE OBJECTIVES ARE TO 1) ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE THAT USES WASTE HEAT FROM A DIESEL POWER PLANT TO DRY SEAWEED EFFICIENTLY, 2) IDENTIFY LONG-TERM OPTIONS FOR PROCESSING AND ASSESS BUSINESS VIABILITY, 3) BUILD ACCEPTANCE OR SOCIAL LICENSE FOR MARICULTURE AND 4) PROVIDE TRAINING TO INCREASE THE MARICULTURE WORKFORCE. THESE OBJECTIVES WILL PROVIDE DEDICATED CAPACITY AND DIRECTLY SUPPORT MARICULTURE INDUSTRY GROWTH FOR PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AND COASTAL ALASKAN COMMUNITIES. THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND IS LOCATED IN SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA AND IS HOME TO FIVE COMMUNITIES, CHENEGA, CORDOVA, TATITLEK, VALDEZ, AND WHITTIER. THEIR ECONOMY IS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BECAUSE OF THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON COMMERCIAL SALMON FISHERIES. SINCE 2016, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND HAS EXPERIENCED FIVE FISHERIES DISASTERS, DRASTIC POPULATION DECLINES, THAT HAVE AFFECTED ALL FIVE SALMON SPECIES NATIVE TO THIS REGION. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ADDED TO ECONOMIC STRAIN AND FOOD INSECURITY BY DISRUPTING SUPPLY CHAINS THAT PROVIDE 95% OF ALASKA'S FOOD. THE STATE OF ALASKA AND THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT HAVE IDENTIFIED THE MARICULTURE INDUSTRY TO INCREASE ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND FOOD SECURITY. PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND CURRENTLY HOLDS 26% OF ALASKA'S SEAWEED FARM PERMITS AND THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF KELP IS HARVESTED EACH YEAR. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DEDICATED CAPACITY TO PROCESS SEAWEED. THIS IS A BARRIER THAT PREVENTS GROWTH OF AN INDUSTRY THAT CAN INCREASE ECONOMIC DIVERSITY AND FOOD SECURITY, WHICH THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE FOR DRYING SEAWEED USING WASTE HEAT FROM A POWER PLANT; DRYING LOCALLY GROWN SEAWEED; QUANTIFYING DRYING TIMES, RATES, HEATING NEEDS AND LABOR HOURS NECESSARY FOR ADEQUATE DRYING; ANALYZING THE DATA; HOLDING REGULAR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS; REASSESSING AND OPTIMIZING DRYING EFFICIENCY; BUILDING SOCIAL LICENSE FOR KELP FARMING; EVALUATING SCALABILITY AND LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS; ASSESSING BUSINESS VIABILITY; TRAINING CURRENT A PROSPECTIVE KELP FARMERS ABOUT KELP PROCESSING; AND DISSEMINATING RESULTSSUBRECIPIENT:THE SUBAWARD TO THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WILL ARRANGE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, ADVERTISE COMMUNITY EVENTS, NETWORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR PROCESSING CAPACITY, PROVIDE MARKET INFORMATION FOR THE BUSINESS VIABILITY ANALYSIS, AND DISSEMINATE PROJECT RESULTS ACROSS THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND REGION. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE DRYING DATA, BUSINESS VIABILITY ANALYSIS, 40 PARTICIPANTS TRAINED ON KELP PROCESSING, RESULTS DISSEMINATION THROUGH CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, NEWSLETTERS, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN OPTIMIZED KELP PROCESSING PROCEDURE, A DEVELOPED WORKFORCE OF KELP FARMERS, THE SCALABILITY OF SOCIAL LICENSE, A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THE MARICULTURE INDUSTRY IN THE COMMUNITY. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE COMMUNITIES OF THE PRINCE WILLIAMS SOUND AND OTHER COASTAL ALASKAN COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS KELP FARMERS.