Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center

The Center was founded in 1994 by Elmer E. Rasmuson with a $1 million dollar endowment to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  The endowment continued to grow through a $100,000 donation by Wards Cove Packing Company and additional contributions by Mr. Rasmuson.

After Mr. Rasmuson's death in December 2000, a second major endowment in support of the Center was created through a bequest from Mr. Rasmuson's estate.  The endowments are managed by the University of Alaska Foundation, and interest on the principal is used to support the research of graduate students that contributes toward the scientific or applied knowledge base of Alaska's marine environs and resources. 

Photo of sockeye salman

Our Mission

The Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center's mission is to promote excellence in research related to fisheries, and to develop young fisheries scientists.

Research Goals

Proposals should address at least one of these target areas in Alaska waters (it should be noted that these target areas are not ranked in order of priority):

  • Ecology, biology, distribution and systematics of species of fish, shellfish, and seaweeds affected by fisheries, both target and nontarget species;
  • Responses of fish, shellfish, and seaweeds to environmental variability;
  • Genetic structure of Alaskan fish and shellfish populations and seaweeds;
  • Fluctuations of fish and shellfish stocks and seaweeds, interactions of forage species with consumers including mammals and birds, and the ecosystems in which they occur;
  • Development of the shellfish aquaculture and mariculture industry in Alaska;
  • Impacts of emerging and legacy contaminants and diseases on the health of water-based ecosystems and human populations;
  • Human dimensions of fishery systems, e.g., community and socio-cultural relationships;
  • Impacts of climate change on marine and riverine fisheries and their communities.