BSRC would support a modern mariculture center and hatchery for regional fisheries recovery and enhancement. BSRC will house the incubation and specialized laboratory equipment for mariculture studies and development. The site will create the capacity needed for biologists to create innovative, locally-informed strategies and methods for sustainably growing local ecosystem populations.

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In 2021, ACSPI established BSRC to provide world class research facilities with unrivaled access to the Bering Sea, an emerging strategic location for Arctic research relating to, climate change, fisheries, wildlife, and more. ACSPI has invested its own resources (and leveraged outside investment) to create the BSRC for purposes of economic diversification, sustainable development, and employment opportunities in light of the recent fishery collapses and disasters.

BSRC has completed “Phase I” of its buildout, reflected by the creation of dry lab research capacity. The next step is “Phase II,” which entails the funding and creation of a wet lab; full investment would include furnishing a wet lab, purchasing a research vessel, and programmatic investment in climate change research that utilizes existing and future capacity

Adjacent to the BSRC, BSMC would house a modern mariculture center and hatchery for regional fisheries recovery and enhancement. BSMC will house the incubation and specialized laboratory equipment for mariculture studies and development. The site will create the capacity needed for biologists to create innovative, locally-informed strategies and methods for sustainably growing local ecosystem populations.

Fund and establish the capacity to meet a goal of outstocking 100,000 Pribilof Islands blue king crabs annually to enhance regional wild stock. Meeting this goal is a critical step toward achieving the ecosystem recovery needed to recreate and sustain lost fishing jobs.

On site in St. Paul’s school building, ACSPI established tribal STEM education programs, tribal curriculum, and continuing post secondary education and certification programs with Ilisagvik College. The Bering Sea Campus envisions job training and certification programs to support the BSRC and equip community members with the skills to fill field research and technician jobs. These essential programs will support the growth of the BSRC, extend its local capacity, and provide well paying jobs to community members.

Bering Sea Campus (7 staff) will carry out the education mission of PRIME with its partners at UAF, UAA, and Ilisagvik College. Hard infrastructure investment is needed in the school building to update decades-old HVAC systems that skyrocket the cost of energy and reduce the amount of resources ACSPI is able to invest directly into education. Additional programmatic funding support is also needed for the certification and job training offerings.

St. Paul offers unparalleled geography and wildlife unique to the Bering Sea and Arctic region and its ecosystems (e.g. wildlife tours focused on fur seals, birdwatching, and whale watching). At its pinnacle, the St. Paul Hotel was a destination that attracted visitors from all over the United States and international community. The hotel is in disrepair, but with a key location in the center of town, it holds the opportunity to be a focal point for job creation, revitalization, and visitation–whether those visitors are tourists, military personnel, or researchers.

Rebuild a hotel to increase tourism and capacity for hosting the types of visitors that the PRIME strategy is working to attract–for example, full time Coast Guard personnel, Federal/private/international researchers, students, and recreational tourists. The hotel is currently out of the design phase and shovel ready when funding is secured.