Mariculture operations in Alaska and the interest to diversify them by adding high-market value shellfish products have rapidly increased over the past decade. However, an important concern for lucrative mariculture in Alaska is the low water temperatures, which impede animal growth.
This project investigates the viability of farming northern (or pinto) abalone Haliotis kamtschatkana to support commercial opportunities in Alaska. The research will (1) to assess the growth of pinto abalone as a function of temperature and a composite seaweed diet, and (2) determine how these factors influence their potential productivity using a combination of rigorous laboratory and field-based experimentations with dynamic energy budget modeling.