UPDATES
ALFA continues to explore opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of our fleet through improved fuel use awareness and efficiency. Working with Chandler Kemp, ALFA is also developing blueprints for converting commercial fishing boats from diesel to hybrid diesel/electric and, eventually, hydrogen fuel cell or full electric. In 2021, ALFA was one of 11 “communities” nationwide that received an Energy Transitions Initiative Partnerships Project (ETIPP) award to work with the National Research Energy Laboratory on the fleet conversion project. The Lab guided ALFA’s energy conversion project through 2021 and 2022 and proved to be a tremendous resource. While we continue to work toward a zero carbon boat, the Labs helped us identify that the viable next step is a hybrid diesel/electric boat. With generous support from the Acme Seafood Company and the AgWest Farm Credit Services, ALFA installed electric deck equipment on one troller/longliner and in 2023 will convert a troller to hybrid propulsion using the Transfluid system. We expect this to be the first commercial fishing boat hybrid in the country–but hopefully the first of many!
December, 2023
Read article by Linda Behnken and Kay Kreiss of Transition Sitka: Cutting our Fishing Industry Emissions
October 3, 2023
The Alaska Longline Fishermen's Association (ALFA) is thrilled to announce a $700,000 award from the Department of Energy to drive energy transition forward in the commercial fishing fleet. The project, known as ALFA BETA (ALFA Boat Energy Transition Accelerator), aims to pioneer hybrid and full electric propulsion in the small boat fishing and mariculture industries. The ALFA BETA project aligns with ALFA’s mission to address climate change and decarbonize the seafood industry.
With generous support from the Department of Energy, ALFA is poised to play a leading role in revolutionizing energy usage within the small boat commercial fishing sector. The ALFA BETA project will serve as a catalyst for developing and implementing hybrid and full electric propulsion systems, addressing the unique challenges faced by small boat fishing and mariculture operations. By embracing clean and efficient technologies, ALFA aims to reduce the fleet's carbon footprint, safeguard marine ecosystems, and promote a sustainable future for Alaska's seafood industry.
August 22, 2023
Battery-Electric Fishing Vessel Marks a Sea Change for Small Commercial Fishers
March 27, 2023
Acme Backs Seafood NGOs Fighting Climate Change, Promoting Diversity in Sector
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.-based Acme Smoked Fish awarded a total of USD 120,000 (EUR 111,912) to three separate organizations for their contribution to lowering climate footprints and increasing diversity in the seafood sector.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE HERE
The high cost of fuel has had a significant impact on community-based fishing in Alaska. In a 2009 survey conducted by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, 63% of fishermen said that their fuel costs have more than doubled in the past 5 years. Reducing fuel consumption is a vital part of ensuring the longevity of local fisheries in Alaska, as well as conserving the environment.
Our Work
Fuel Efficiency Fast Facts
Simple Steps to Improving Fuel Efficiency
Get Involved
A Fisherman’s Guide to Fuel Efficiency
Our Work
Since 2013, ALFA’s Fisheries Conservation Network has been tapping local traditions of marine stewardship, working to find ways that boats can operate while using less fuel. By increasing the efficiency of their vessels, fishermen can save on fuel costs and lower the environmental impact of pollutants released while operating.
ALFA has helped local fishermen to install fuel flow meters and data loggers and has used the data collected to build a fuel efficiency audit and make recommendations for improving fuel efficiency. This work was carried out in partnership with the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Alaris Company marine engineers, and individual vessel operators, with support from the Oak Foundation.
Energy conservation measures drawn from the first stage of the project are summarized in this report, which you can download for free.
A self-guided energy audit tool (click the button below to download), which is intended for use by a broad spectrum of small to mid-sized commercial Alaska fishing vessel operators, allows operators to assess the efficiency of their vessel on a yearly basis and inform cost-effective energy conservation methods to reduce their fuel use and costs.
UPDATE: ALFA received an Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) award for our proposal to convert two fishing boats to hybrid propulsion as the next step in our commitment to lowering our fleets carbon footprint. The ETIPP award allows us to work with energy experts at the National Resource Energy Lab to design and implement conversions that make sense for our fleet. We are exploring both propulsion conversion (diesel electric) and deck system hybrids (electric gurdies, hauler, anchor winch/diesel propulsion) in the winter of 2021 with implementation scheduled for the following winter.
READ the latest updates on the project from Chandler Kemp - Electric Gurdy Design Notes, 3/7/2022
Contact Dan Falvey at myriadfisheries@gmail.com for information about using our self-guided energy audit tool.
“When fuel costs rise:
Fishermen may fish less often, or stop fishing entirely
Captains are less likely to hire crew or are unable to compensate them fairly
Economic development is hindered in Alaska
”
Fuel Efficiency Fast Facts
In a 2009 survey conducted by the Alaska Sea Grant Advisory program:
• 63% of fishermen said their fuel costs have more than doubled in the past 5 years
• 33% said they had quit fishing earlier in the season
• 31% said they skipped fishing opening they would otherwise have fished
• 7% said they fished with other IFQ permit holders, thus eliminating crew jobs
• 80% who did fish with a crew said the increased cost of fuel reduced the share paid to crew
Simple Steps to Improving Fuel Efficiency
• Reduce the vessel weight. Weight control manages the amount of power necessary to achieve a certain speed.
• Maintain bottom of vessel. In order to reduce drag, keep the bottom of the boat as smooth as possible by removing marine growth and any other unnecessary elements.
• Check the exhaust. Exhaust from a well-maintained diesel engine is almost invisible.
• Check the prop. Bent blades, dings, or eroded edges cause the boat to consume more fuel.
• Plan the route and timing. Taking advantage of tides, currents, and predicted winds can easily save a lot of fuel.
• Only use stabilizers when necessary. At low speeds, the paravanes don’t create much drag, but at speeds above 4 knots, for example in transit, using stabilizers drastically decreases efficiency
• Slow down. Our fuel efficiency audit demonstrated that increasing speeds greatly increases the power necessary to move the boat, and with it the amount of fuel consumed. Decreasing your speed by just 1 knot could reduce your cost by as much as 50%.
Get Involved
The more fishermen that are involved with these projects, the better data and recommendations we can collect. Getting involved with improved fuel efficiency in Sitka and SE Alaska won’t just save you money, it’ll benefit the rest of the fleet and the planet!
Interested in filling out a fuel efficiency audit to learn more about your vessel's fuel consumption? Contact Dan Falvey at myriadfisheries@gmail.com for more information.
For more information, visit the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Website, or check out these handy Sea Grant links:
Fuel Saving Measures on Your Fishing Industry Vessel
Lower Your Fuel Costs: Fuel efficiency tips
Definitions, conversions and equations for energy audits
Fishing Vessel Energy Efficiency Project Resources
Vessel Energy Analysis Tool Model Documentation Report
The report that summarizes the data collected for the FVEEP project, by Chandler Kemp.
Electric power systems for fishing vessels: Feasibility, fuel savings and costs
UPDATE: 2021 Report by Chandler Kemp of Kempy Energetics and Samer Atshan, Pardee RAND Graduate School
For more information visit: https://www.afdf.org/projects/current-projects/fishing-vessel-energy-efficiency/