Enrolled HCR 2: Supporting the Alaska Ocean Cluster in its mission, efforts, and vision for a vibrant coastal economy in the state, its promotion of a diversified and resilient state economy that creates value from ocean resources, and its building of a statewide integrated ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship relating to the state's ocean economy.
00Enrolled HCR 2 01 Supporting the Alaska Ocean Cluster in its mission, efforts, and vision for a vibrant coastal 02 economy in the state, its promotion of a diversified and resilient state economy that creates 03 value from ocean resources, and its building of a statewide integrated ecosystem of innovation 04 and entrepreneurship relating to the state's ocean economy. 05 _______________ 06 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 07 WHEREAS a third of the exclusive economic zone of the United States is along the 08 state's coastline, and the only Arctic region in the nation lies in the state; and 09 WHEREAS the state's ocean economy is substantial and holds tremendous potential, 10 with over half of the nation's seafood harvest, coastline, and renewable ocean energy 11 potential; and 12 WHEREAS it is conservatively predicted that the global ocean economy will double 13 to an estimated $3 trillion by 2030; and 14 WHEREAS clusters are the engines behind more than 50 ocean industry growth 15 initiatives underway around the world; and 16 WHEREAS clusters have been hugely successful elsewhere in the world, with a 17 leading example in Iceland; and
01 WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster promotes and expands the state's ocean 02 economy by leveraging existing strengths while supporting innovation and emerging 03 opportunities to diversify the state's economy, benefiting the residents of the state; and 04 WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster has a broad focus on the ocean economy, 05 including ocean energy production, fisheries, and transportation, and has identified 06 mariculture, increased fish utilization, incubation of innovative ocean-based businesses, and 07 ocean technology research and development as current priorities; and 08 WHEREAS the Alaska Ocean Cluster's efforts to advance innovation and 09 entrepreneurship in the state's ocean economy will move the entire state forward to catch up 10 with global trends; and 11 WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature has recognized the accomplishments of the 12 Alaska Ocean Cluster since the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association launched the initiative in 13 May 2017; 14 BE IT RESOLVED the Alaska State Legislature welcomes the Alaska Ocean 15 Cluster's work toward a knowledge-based, innovative economy centered around the state's 16 ocean resources; and be it 17 FURTHER RESOLVED the Alaska State Legislature supports advancing the state's 18 ocean economy through a statewide collaborative cluster and recognizes this project as 19 necessary, lest the state be left behind as other Arctic nations realize the potential of ocean- 20 based economies; and be it 21 FURTHER RESOLVED the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the current efforts 22 and partnerships of the Alaska Ocean Cluster as critical in driving innovation, 23 commercialization, and entrepreneurship, which are the foundations of a thriving economy; 24 and be it 25 FURTHER 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.