Alaska Governor Dunleavy Proposes Legalizing Finfish Farming

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has introduced a bill that could mark a significant shift in the state’s approach to aquaculture by legalizing finfish farming in controlled environments. The proposed legislation, House Bill 111 (HB 111), would authorize closed-system finfish farms, ending Alaska’s longstanding ban on the practice.

Currently, Alaska prohibits all finfish farming except for private nonprofit salmon hatcheries, many of which are operated by Indigenous communities to support wild salmon populations. This restriction was enacted in 1990 to safeguard the state’s wild fish stocks from risks such as disease, pollution, and genetic interbreeding with escaped farmed fish.

In a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, Governor Dunleavy framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to enhance Alaska’s food security. “Alaska can join other regions of the world by raising fish that can be sold and consumed here in Alaska and be available for export,” he said. “This legislation will yield new jobs, economic growth, and a new food source for all Alaskans.”

Under HB 111, only specific finfish species would be allowed for farming, and excludes pink, chum, sockeye, coho, Chinook, and Atlantic salmon. To minimize ecological risks, the bill mandates that all farmed finfish must be sterilized to prevent reproduction and must be raised in escape-proof enclosures, whether natural or artificial. Additionally, private landowners would be permitted to stock lakes with finfish for personal consumption without requiring a permit, provided the water body has an effective containment system.

While proponents argue that controlled aquaculture could provide economic benefits and a more stable food supply, opponents raise concerns about its potential environmental impact. Critics caution that even in closed systems, the risk of disease outbreaks, water pollution, and genetic interference with wild populations remains a pressing issue.

Alaska’s wild fisheries have long been a cornerstone of the state’s economy and identity. Whether this legislation gains traction will likely depend on how lawmakers balance the promise of economic opportunity with the imperative to protect the state’s globally renowned wild fish stocks.

HB 111 is now set to be reviewed by the Alaska State Legislature, where it will face debate from both advocates and opponents of fish farming in the state.