00                    HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2                                                                    
01 Supporting the Alaska Ocean Cluster in its mission, efforts, and vision for a vibrant                                   
02 coastal economy in the state, its promotion of a diversified and resilient state economy                                
03 that creates value from ocean resources, and its building of a statewide integrated                                     
04 ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship relating to the state's ocean economy.                                     
05 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
06       WHEREAS a third of the exclusive economic zone of the United States is along the                                
07 state's coastline, and the only Arctic region in the nation lies in the state; and                                      
08       WHEREAS the state's ocean economy is substantial and holds tremendous potential,                                
09 with over half of the nation's seafood harvest, coastline, and renewable ocean energy                                   
10 potential; and                                                                                                          
11       WHEREAS it is conservatively predicted that the global ocean economy will double                                
12 to an estimated $3 trillion by 2030; and                                                                                
13       WHEREAS clusters are the engines behind more than 50 ocean industry growth                                      
14 initiatives underway around the world; and                                                                              
15       WHEREAS clusters have been hugely successful elsewhere in the world, with a                                     
01 leading example in Iceland; and                                                                                         
02       WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster promotes and expands the state's ocean                                         
03 economy by leveraging existing strengths while supporting innovation and emerging                                       
04 opportunities to diversify the state's economy, benefiting the residents of the state; and                              
05 WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster has a broad focus on the ocean economy,                                              
06 including ocean energy production, fisheries, and transportation, and has identified                                    
07 mariculture, increased fish utilization, incubation of innovative ocean-based businesses, and                           
08 ocean technology research and development as current priorities; and                                                    
09       WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster's efforts to advance innovation and                                            
10 entrepreneurship in the state's ocean economy will move the entire state forward to catch up                            
11 with global trends; and                                                                                                 
12 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature has recognized the accomplishments of the                                        
13 Alaska Ocean Cluster since the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association launched the initiative in                            
14 May 2017; and                                                                                                           
15 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature welcomes the Alaska Ocean Cluster's work                                         
16 toward a knowledge-based, innovative economy centered around the state's ocean resources;                               
17 and                                                                                                                     
18 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature supports advancing the state's ocean                                             
19 economy through a statewide collaborative cluster and recognizes this project as necessary,                             
20 lest the state be left behind as other Arctic nations realize the potential of ocean-based                              
21 economies; and                                                                                                          
22 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the current efforts and                                               
23 partnerships of the Alaska Ocean Cluster as critical in driving innovation, commercialization,                          
24 and entrepreneurship, which are the foundations of a thriving economy;                                                  
25 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature welcomes opportunities to                                            
26 collaborate with the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association's Alaska Ocean Cluster program as a                             
27 partner; and be it                                                                                                      
28 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the Alaska                                                
29 Ocean Cluster's strategy for growing the state's economy, which is focused on building a                                
30 pipeline of innovation and entrepreneurship to engage and connect residents of the state in                             
31 this growing ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, capitalizing on economic                               
01 opportunities, and increasing the resilience of the state's coastal communities; and be it                              
02       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the Alaska                                        
03 Ocean Cluster's efforts to build sustainable, collaborative, and interconnected ocean industry                          
04 networks throughout the state by acting as a facilitator and hub in the ocean economy space.