Hybrid Striped Bass Aquaculture in North Carolina

Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrid striped bass (HSB), a cross between a saltwater striped bass, and a freshwater white bass is a popular cultivar in North Carolina. Currently, NC is home to 14 HSB foodfish producers, three of which also producer fingerlings, or stocker fish. In 2012, 2.1 million pounds of HSB were produced, in addition to more than four million fingerlings. The NC HSB industry is dominated by pond production, with 633 total pond acres. In addition, one tank-based recirculating …

Oyster Culture

 

Oyster culture is one of the most prominent forms of marine aquaculture in the U.S. In 2011 31 million pounds of oysters were harvestede with a dockside value of approximately $135 million (National Marine Fisheries Service). That is probably a low estimate of the overall value of the oyster because it does account for the ecological value of the fish species that use oyster reefs as a food source and nursery habitat, nor the coastal protection and water-quality …