Agenda

Day 1—Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Welcome by Kodiak Representatives

Introduction

Brad Stevens, NOAA Fisheries

Technical Workshop—Invited Speakers

Culture of king crab at the Kodiak Fishery Research Center
Sara Persselin, NMFS, Kodiak Fishery Research Center

Research on king crab cultivation in Russia
Nikolina (Nina) Kovacheva, VNIRO, Moscow, Russia

Research on cultivation of European lobsters, Homarus gammarus, in Norway
Gro van der Meeren, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway

Cultivation of golden king crabs
Tom Shirley, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau Center SFOS

Basis for stock enhancement of Lithodes santolla in Argentina
Gustavo Lovrich, CADIC, Ushuaia, Argentina

Cultivation of Lithodes santolla in Chile
Kurt Paschke, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Puerto Montt, Chile

Cultivation of Chesapeake Bay blue crab, Callinectes sapidus
Odi Zmora, Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland
(Presented by Anson H. [Tuck] Hines, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center)

Cultivation of lobsters
Michel Comeau, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, New Brunswick, Canada

Roundtable discussion

Discussion among researchers. Key questions may be asked by the steering committee. Some questions might be: What worked? What didn't work? What are the research gaps? Speculate on how to proceed in Alaska.

Day 2—Wednesday, March 15

Welcome and announcements

Brian Allee, Alaska Sea Grant College Program

Case Studies

Case study 1: Stock enhancement of Chesapeake Bay blue crab
Anson H. (Tuck) Hines, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Case Study 2: Enhancement of Maine lobsters
Ted Ames, MacArthur Fellow and fisherman

Enhancement and Rehabilitation Concepts and Potential (Panels)

Technical Considerations

Open-ended discussion with questions from the audience

Moderator: Ray RaLonde, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program

Panel members:

• Brad Stevens, NOAA Fisheries, Kodiak Fisheries Research Center
• Anson H. (Tuck) Hines, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
• Other researchers

Panel questions:

• Is crab enhancement feasible?
• Should it be attempted?
• What are the limitations?
• What species should be considered?  King, tanner, others?
• What techniques should be considered? For example, broodstock transfer; larval settlement traps; habitat enhancement; cultivation and release (stock enhancement).
• How could enhancement be implemented in Alaska (from a technical viewpoint)?
• Who would regulate and who would harvest?

Potential Models for Crab Enhancement and Rehabilitation

Open-ended discussion with questions from the audience

Moderator: Brian Allee, Alaska Sea Grant College Program

Panel members:

• Ted Ames, MacArthur Fellow and fisherman
• Ray RaLonde, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
• Pete Esquiro, Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association

Panel questions:

• What are the benefits and costs associated with lobster enhancement activities in Maine?

• What general economic opportunities, costs, and benefits are anticipated or desired for crab enhancement and rehabilitation activities that may take place in Alaska?

• What funding mechanisms may be reasonable, possible or available for the purpose of funding crab enhancement and rehabilitation activities (e.g., to fund preliminary research, feasibility testing, pilot project, etc.)?
• What structural, operational, and administrative mechanisms may be reasonable for the purpose of crab enhancement and rehabilitation activities in Alaska? Are there elements of the current salmon hatchery structural model that are applicable to crabs (i.e. Alaska legislation that provides for regional aquaculture associations, private nonprofit entities, etc.)?
• What are the infrastructure needs for the early phases of evaluating and testing the feasibility of crab enhancement and rehabilitation activities (facility location, size, and space; equipment and materials needs)?
• Other questions invited from the audience.

Industry and Community Perspectives

Open-ended discussion with questions from the audience

Moderator: Heather McCarty, McCarty and Associates

Panel members:

• Arni Thomson, Alaska Crab Coalition
• Jeff Stephan, United Fishermen’s Marketing Association
• Dave Woodruff, Alaska Fresh Seafoods
• Gale Vick, Gulf of Alaska Coastal Communities Coalition
• Mel Morris, Board of Fisheries

Guided questions from the steering committee, then other questions invited from the audience.

Reception and "Meet the Experts"

Refreshments and appetizers

Day 3—Thursday, March 16

Kodiak ComFish Seminar: "Alaska Crab Enhancement and Rehabilitation—This isn't crab farming!"

Moderator: Jeff Stephan, United Fishermen's Marketing Association

Keynote Presentation: Maine Lobster Enhancement

Ted Ames, MacArthur Fellow and fisherman

Summary Presentations

Crab enhancement and rehabilitation research
Brad Stevens, NOAA Fisheries, Kodiak Fisheries Research Center

Technical considerations
Ray RaLonde, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program

Potential models for crab enhancement and rehabilitation
Brian Allee, Alaska Sea Grant College Program

Industry and community perspectives
Heather McCarty, McCarty and Associates

Public Forum: Ask the Experts

Your chance to ask the speakers and panel members!

Moderator: Jeff Stephan, United Fishermen's Marketing Association