Aquaculture America 2026

February 16 - 19, 2026

Las Vegas, Nevada

Bringing Aquaculture Opportunity Areas to U.S. Waters

Thursday, February 19, 2026 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM Versaille 2
Chair: Kristine Cherry

Thursday Feb 19, 8:30a-12:30p

8:30 Phaedra Doukakis

OVERVIEW OF AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS AND THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

 

8:45 James Morris

AOA WHERE? AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPATIAL PLANNING PROCESS TO INFORM IDENTIFICATION OF AOAs

 

9:00 Andrew Richard

IDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS IN FEDERAL WATERS OF THE GULF OF AMERICA: A FOUNDATION FOR OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND DOMESTIC SEAFOOD PRODUCTION IN U.S. WATERS

 

9:15 Celia BarrosoIDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS IN FEDERAL WATERS OFF OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: A FOUNDATION FOR OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN U.S. WATERS

 

9:30 Alicia Bishop

INNOVATIVE ADAPTATIONS TO ALASKA AOA PROCESS

 

9:45 Chris Schillaci

Alaska Aquaculture Atlas and Next Steps

 

10:00 BREAK

 

11:00 Marcy Cockrell NOAA SCIENCE FOR ADVANCING OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE: IDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS

 

11:15 Drew Resnick BEYOND THE PRINT ATLAS: LEVERAGING INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TOOLS FOR DATA-DRIVEN AQUACULTURE SITING IN ALASKA

 

11:30 Isaac Keohane UNDER THE HOOD: HOW DATA DRIVES THE ALASKA AOA SUITABILITY MODEL

 

11:45 Panel Q&A More in depth discussion, questions from audience, and/or moderated questions from Kristine

  • 8:30 AM
    Phaedra Doukakis-Leslie

    OVERVIEW OF AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS AND THE IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

  • 8:45 AM
    James A. Morris, Jr.

    AOA Where? AN OVERVIEW OF THE SPATIAL PLANNING PROCESS TO INFORM IDENTIFICATION OF AOAs

  • 9:00 AM
    Andrew Richard

    IDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS IN FEDERAL WATERS OF THE GULF OF AMERICA: A FOUNDATION FOR OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND DOMESTIC SEAFOOD PRODUCTION IN U.S. WATERS

  • 9:15 AM
    Celia Barroso

    IDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS IN FEDERAL WATERS OFF OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: A FOUNDATION FOR OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN U.S. WATERS

  • 9:30 AM
    Alicia Bishop

    INNOVATIVE ADAPTATIONS TO ALASKA AOA PROCESS

  • 9:45 AM
    Christopher Schillaci

    AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY ATLAS FOR THE GULF OF ALASKA

  • 11:00 AM
    Marcy Cockrell

    NOAA SCIENCE FOR ADVANCING OFFSHORE AQUACULTURE: IDENTIFYING AQUACULTURE OPPORTUNITY AREAS

  • 11:15 AM
    Drew Resnick

    BEYOND THE PRINT ATLAS: LEVERAGING INTERACTIVE DIGITAL TOOLS FOR DATA-DRIVEN AQUACULTURE SITING IN ALASKA

  • 11:30 AM
    Isaac Keohane

    UNDER THE HOOD: HOW DATA DRIVES THE ALASKA AOA SUITABILITY MODEL

  • 11:30 AM
    Isaac Keohane

    PRECISION SITING: SPATIAL OPTIMIZATION TO INFORM AQUACULTURE SUITABILITY MODELING

  • 11:45 PM
    Panel C&A

    MORE IN DEPTH DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE, AND/OR MODERATED QUESTIONS FROM SESSION CHAIR