Enhancing Protections for Mariculture Sites Against Oil Spills

The Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) seeks to bring mariculture operators and spill responders and planners together to identify response strategies appropriate to protect mariculture sites in the Cook Inlet and Kodiak Region.

Existing Geographic Response Strategies (GRS) in the region will be examined to identify overlaps between GRS areas and mariculture sites, and new targeted GRS will be considered for development to pre-plan response strategies and needs for a timely and effective response at specified mariculture sites.

What are GRS?

Geographic Response Strategies are specific response plans tailored to protect sensitive areas from impacts following a marine oil spill. In the Command Center, GRS are displayed on detailed digital maps, showing responders where to place protection resources in advance of anticipated impacts.

In the field, responders’ timely GRS deployment includes appropriate booming and recovery strategies to protect sensitive resources. The speed and effectiveness of every response is dependent on planning, timing, and execution.

Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council Webpage (CIRCAC.org)

White Paper: Response Options to Increase the Adaptability of Mariculture Operations to Oil Spills

Project Timeline

May 21, 2025: Project Kick Off Meeting

A hybrid kick off meeting was convened in Homer on May 21, 2025. The meeting served as the starting point for a workgroup process to identify and make updates to existing GRS sites in Kachemak Bay and Kodiak, based on the increasing presence of mariculture farms in Cook Inlet RCAC’s area of focus.

May 21, 2025 Kick Off Meeting Summary

August 20, 2025: Site Visits

Site visits took place in Kachemak Bay to evaluate two locations with existing GRS and overlapping, active mariculture operations: Halibut Cove (KB-03) and Jakolof Bay (KB-11). Recommended GRS revisions are under development.

October 1, 2025: Site Visit Follow-up Meeting

Participants of the August 20, 2025, Kachemak Bay site visits met online to discuss the data collected, review key site visit takeaways, and develop potential recommendations for updating the Jakolof Bay (KB-11) and Halibut Cove (KB-03) GRS.