| While most people have at least some familiarity with | | | | used to harvest Alaskan seafood species helps |
| them, they might not be aware of the term 'benthic | | | | preserve the various benthic habitat types by |
| habitat,' and exactly what it means. Basically, it is | | | | minimizing destruction, and in fact minimizing any |
| anything that has to do with what happens at the | | | | influence whatsoever. The more research done on the |
| bottom of a body of water, like the icy waters of the | | | | various types of habitats, the better fisheries and |
| shores of Alaska. These zones are important for not | | | | scientists are able to protect the ocean floor. The |
| only Alaskan fisheries, but the Alaskan economy, since | | | | depth of the water is the most important feature in |
| seafood production is one of the state's largest | | | | defining a benthic habitat, and the zones go as follows: |
| industries. In fact, Alaska provides more than half of | | | | the hadal zone is over 6,000 meters deep, the abyssal |
| the fish and shellfish produced in the entire United | | | | zone between 2,000 and 6,000 meters, the bathyal |
| States each year. That's quite a substantial amount! | | | | zone between 200 to 2,000 meters, and the |
| The geochemical, biological, and physical characteristics | | | | nearshore and estuarine zones are less than 200 |
| of the ocean floor create the necessary environment | | | | meters deep. Even a small change to the bacteria or |
| in which many seafood species can grow, live, spawn | | | | the shape of the ocean floor in one or more of these |
| and flourish, meaning that maintaining these | | | | habitats can negatively impact the vivacity of seafood |
| environments is absolutely imperative. Alaskan | | | | species, and may result in the destruction of important |
| scientists and politicians have been aware of this for | | | | mating grounds. Delicate ocean ecosystems and their |
| many years as evidenced by the conservation laws | | | | preservation in Alaska makes for some of the best |
| written to protect seafood species and their habitats, | | | | fresh, wild seafood anywhere in the world, and Alaska |
| and included in the state constitution from 1959. | | | | would like to keep it that way for many years to |
| Regulations and restrictions on the type of equipment | | | | come! |