The West Coast seafood industry is facing growing workforce challenges – fewer new entrants, an aging fleet, rising barriers to entry, gaps in infrastructure, and changes in marketing strategies. These issues are felt locally but often shared across Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California.  

This panel brings together an alliance of West Coast Sea Grant experts with decades of experience serving the industry from a bottom-up, non-advocacy standpoint to examine regional trends, explore what it takes to rebuild and sustain the seafood workforce, and discuss what the future of West Coast seafood looks like. 

The conversation will be grounded in real-world experience and is designed for those actively navigating workforce issues on the water, in processing, and across coastal economies. Panelists will share proven examples of training and mentorship models, business and marketing support, and collaborative approaches that have worked and can provide a foundation for future efforts. 

Attendees will:

• Hear cross-regional observations on workforce trends affecting the West Coast seafood industry from experts with boots-on-the-ground experience
• Learn what training, mentorship, and business support models have proven effective and how they can serve as a foundation for future efforts
• Explore practical strategies for rebuilding seafood workforce pipelines and lowering barriers to entry 
• Participate in a candid group discussion aimed at identifying collaborative, actionable solutions to the workforce challenges the industry is facing right now