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Ocean and Coastal Management in Alaska

Alaska's Coastal Program

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources oversees the Alaska Coastal Management Program. The primary authority for the Coastal Program is the Coastal Management Act of 1977. Alaska has a three-tiered coastal zone based on the proximity to the land-sea interface. Local coastal programs may also establish more specific boundaries. While the Coastal Program was originally established under the Coastal Management Act of 1977, between 2003 and 2005 Alaska adopted, and OCRM approved, enforceable policies for the Coastal Program that have significantly changed statewide coastal standards and the role of local district governments in the Coastal Program. Twenty-eight of Alaska's 33 coastal districts are participating by developing new plans with enforceable policies that meet the revised state standards and that will help guide development and natural resource management within each district's coastal zone.

Alaska's coastal zone is home to many important industries, including seafood processing, oil and gas development, mining, and timber harvesting. Its potential oil and gas reserves are among the largest in the world. Nearly all of the minerals classified as strategic by the federal government are found in Alaska. The coast also supports a rich cultural heritage with its many Native Alaskan tribes who rely on the state's natural resources for subsistence living. The long-term prosperity of these coastal cultures depends upon a healthy environment. The Coastal Program seeks to strike a balance while sustaining the economic, ecological, and cultural value of Alaska's coastal areas.

Alaska’s National Estuarine Research Reserve

The Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, designated in 1999, is located south of Anchorage in Homer, on the western coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Kachemak Bay Reserve, at 365,000 acres, is the largest reserve in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Kachemak Bay features extensive mudflats, subtidal habitat, and upland forests. It is one of the most productive, diverse and intensively used estuaries in Alaska.

The Reserve emphasizes long-term ecological research and education. Scientists are working to better understand the linkages between the ocean, nearshore environment, and land uses. Research activities include studying the relationship between changes in biological communities and changes in water circulation, including the effect of currents and tides. The Reserve also has educational programs for students, the local community, and visitors. Reserve staff were also instrumental in forming the Alliance of Kachemak Bay Educators which strives to inspire life-long learning and commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability among Kachemak Bay residents and visitors.

Program Highlights

Alaska Implements Forestry Best Management Practice (BMP) Monitoring Program

Links

Alaska Coastal Management Program — The website provides information on the Program including coastal boundary maps and coastal district enforceable policies.  

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve — The Reserve’s website provides information on their many research and education activities.

Marine Protected Areas — Search for marine protected areas by state, region, or topic area.

Alaska Coastal Nonpoint Program Conditional Approval Document — The Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program encourages better coordination between state coastal zone managers and water quality experts to reduce polluted runoff in the coastal zone. 

Alaska Coastal Program Evaluation (2008) — The Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management conducts periodic performance reviews of federally approved state coastal management programs. 

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Evaluation (2006) — The Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management conducts periodic performance reviews of estuarine research reserves. 

Contact Information for Alaska's Programs

Juneau Office
Alaska Coastal Management Program
Gold Street, Suite 202
P.O. Box 110030
Juneau, AK 99811
(907) 465-3562

Anchorage Office
Alaska Coastal Management Program
550 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 1660
Anchorage, AK 99501
(907) 269-7470

Kachemak Bay Research Reserve
Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center
95 Sterling Highway
Homer, AK 99603
(907) 235-4799

 

 

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