Public Appeal to Save Alaska’s Ocean Pastures and Restore America’s Seafood Future

Fellow Alaskans  and Americans,

Our nation faces a silent crisis on its last frontier—one that threatens not only the health of our oceans but also the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Americans and the future of our seafood industry. The oceans of Alaska, which produce more than 60% of the nation’s seafood, are in dire straits. The collapse of its ocean pastures—the foundation of the marine food web—has led to a devastating decline in marine life and fisheries catch.

Last fall NOAA reported another, repeating, annual $1.8 billion loss in the Alaska catch, which NOAA conservatively translates into a staggering $4.3 billion blow to the U.S. seafood economy. They add that the crisis has also cost the nation 38,000 jobs. Together these are a clear warning sign of deeper industry, economic, and ecological collapse.

The root cause? It’s not a subject of debate!

It is the collapse of primary ocean productivity. Plankton, the microscopic plants that form the base of the marine food chain, are vanishing. These ocean pastures are the lifeblood of Alaska’s fisheries, and America’s fisheries, supporting everything from salmon to crab to the iconic Alaskan pollock. Without healthy ocean plankton pastures, there can be no healthy fish and marine life populations—and without fish and marine life, there can be no seafood industry.

This collapse of the ocean plankton pastures has been the subject of 50 years of ocean science research and the result of that research is that we have proven we have the means to immediately replenish and restore those pastures and their fish to historic levels of health and abundance.

This Crisis Extends Beyond Alaska

While Alaska’s ocean emergency is the most urgent, it is not an isolated problem. Across the United States, our oceans have been and are suffering from similar collapses in productivity, with devastating consequences for fisheries, coastal communities, and our national economy.

• Atlantic Coast: Twenty-five years ago, the collapse of ocean pastures led to the decline of Atlantic Salmon, pushing this iconic species onto the endangered species list. Once a thriving commercial fishery, the Atlantic Salmon diminised, starving at sea on degraded ocean pastures, leaving New England’s fishing communities struggling and its ecosystems in chaos.
• Pacific Coast: Los Angeles, whose flag proudly features a tuna fish, lost its massive tuna fishing industry in the 1950s due to the collapse of ocean pastures. The disappearance of this vital ocean ecosystems not only ended an era of prosperity, this also served as an early warning sign of the broader crisis we face today.

These examples underscore a troubling truth: the collapse of ocean pastures is a nationwide emergency. What is happening in Alaska today will soon become the reality for other regions if we continue to fail to act. The time to restore America’s oceans is now.

Despite the alarming evidence of economic and ecological collapse, no government agency has deigned to take decisive action to restore these vital ocean pastures. The time for academic fisheries, “fiddling while Rome burns”, merely observing, silence, and inaction, is over. We are out of time and need bold leadership and immediate emergency intervention to reverse this crisis.

What Must Be Done:

1. Declare a National Emergency: The collapse of Alaska’s ocean pastures is not just an Alaskan problem—it is an American crisis. We call on the President and federal leaders to declare a national ocean and fisheries emergency and to immediately mobilize resources and proven methods to mitigate this catastrophe. We call on the people of Alaska to demand this action now!
2. Revise Federal Priorities to Address the Crisis: In other emergencies, such as oil spills, hurricanes, or massive forest fires, the federal government immediately revises priorities across multiple agencies to muster teams and resources to mitigate the damage. This is standard practice—and it’s exactly what’s needed now. NOAA’s Alaska vessel fleet and laboratories must be redirected to begin ocean restoration efforts immediately. These resources, already in place, can be deployed to restore the natural mineral dust that plankton need to thrive, jumpstarting the recovery of Alaska’s ocean pastures.
3. Support Proven Solutions: OPR Alaska, a company dedicated to ocean restoration, has spent years developing and advocating for methods to restore ocean productivity. Our work has shown that replenishing vital minerals can revive plankton pastures and, in turn, restore fish populations. This is not theoretical—it is proven science. Federal action to deploy this work now is critical.
4. Protect Jobs and Communities: The collapse of Alaska’s fisheries is not just an environmental issue—it is an economic and social crisis. By restoring ocean pastures, we can  restore and save jobs, protect coastal communities, and ensure that America’s seafood industry remains a global leader. The expected results of this emergency action are clear: the immediate return of more than 38,000 seafood industry jobs and the restoration of more than $4 billion in economic prosperity to America.

Why This Matters:

– For Our Economy: The seafood industry is a cornerstone of America’s economy, providing jobs, feeding families, and supporting countless businesses. Alaska’s fisheries alone contribute billions of dollars annually. Without action, the real time catastrophic losses will only grow.

– For Our Food Security: Seafood is a vital source of protein for millions of Americans. The collapse of Alaska’s fisheries threatens our nation’s food security and could lead to higher prices and shortages.

– For Our Environment: Healthy oceans are essential to the health of our planet. Restoring ocean pastures will not only revive fish populations but also help combat climate change by increasing the ocean’s ability to repurpose carbon dioxide into fish!

We Cannot Wait:

The collapse of Alaska’s ocean pastures is a crisis that demands immediate action. Just as the federal government responds swiftly to oil spills and forest fires, hurricanes it must now act with urgency to address this ocean and fisheries emergency. We call on every American to join us in urging our leaders to take decisive steps to restore these vital ecosystems.

Contact your representatives, share this message, and demand that the federal government prioritize ocean restoration. Together, we can save Alaska’s oceans, protect our seafood industry, and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

The time to act is now. Our oceans, our jobs, and our future depend on it.

If you are inclned to action

You  may reserved seats on our ships voyage of recovery. Sign aboard, lend a hand and bend your back and it’ll be as if you have dipped yourself in magic waters.

The one constant through all the years, has been the ocean.

Throughout the ages the land has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again.

But the ocean has marked the time.

It’s a part of our past and our future and reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again. It’s time to for us to take action and make it that way.

#SaveAlaskasOceans #RestoreOurFisheries #OceanRestorationNow