The Senate Resources Committee on May 2 advanced Senate Bill 131, a bill that would remove a statutory prohibition and allow the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to promote mariculture products such as cultivated shellfish and seaweed.

Greg Smith, communications director for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, told the committee the change would be “relatively simple” and would remove the current statutory bar that prevents ASMI from promoting aquatic farm products. The committee adopted an amendment (A2) sponsored by Senator Dunbar to replace the term “aquatic farm product” with the term “mariculture” in the statute; Senator Kawasaki successfully offered a conceptual change to use the adjectival form “mariculture” consistently in the amendment.

Several witnesses testified in support. Robert Venables, executive director of Southeast Conference, said the change is needed because ASMI cannot currently promote products the regional nonprofit is working to develop and that the region has brought significant external grant funds into Alaska to build mariculture infrastructure. Venables said those efforts have produced more than $2,000,000 directed to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, more than $4,000,000 to the Department of Environmental Conservation for testing-lab equipment, and more than $5,000,000 to the university system.

Jason Lazard, executive director of the Alaska Mariculture Alliance, said his organization’s membership voted 87% in favor of supporting legislative changes to allow ASMI marketing of mariculture products. Lazard and Venables told the committee that Build Back Better Regional Challenge funds and other grants could be used to support immediate marketing work if ASMI were permitted to do so.

Senator Myers raised a drafting question about the amendment’s phrasing—specifically the effect of removing language such as “but not limited to.” Committee members and ASMI’s communications director said the amendment reflects the sponsor’s intent and is a drafting cleanup rather than a substantive narrowing. Senator Dunbar placed on the record that the bill is not intended to allow advertising of farmed finfish, which remain illegal in Alaska; he asked that that limitation be part of the public record.

Senator Dunbar moved the bill out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes; the motion carried with no objection. The committee instructed members to sign transmittal paperwork at the meeting’s end.