Microalgae are, literally, “little seaweeds.” They are living microorganisms that are single-celled or colonial, like bacteria and protozoa. They are different, however, from most other microbes in that they use the energy of sunlight to make their own food by photosynthesis. Microalgae are the primitive ancestors of plants, and microalgae “invented” photosynthesis billions of years ago. Microalgae are enormously diverse, in terms of their physical appearance and internal chemistry. They can be found in the sea, in freshwater, in soil, …
Applying a Test Developed to Combat Obesity and Diabetes to Improve Growth in Fish, Mollusks, and Crustaceans.
Zebrafish have become an increasingly common model organism used in biomedical research to address human health issues. Research performed in zebrafish may advance methods that can be applied to improve aquaculture. In fact, a string of recent research aimed at better understanding obesity and diabetes is now being applied to improve selection for growth and feed conversion in commercial aquaculture species, including tilapia, oysters, and shrimp.
While working at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Dr. Benjamin Renquist was focused on identifying …
Matt Parker
Aquaculture Business Specialist.
I help people interested in starting an aquaculture venture build a business plan and put together projected financial statements to help in determining the feasibility of their business. In addition, I also help people with loan applications in order to secure funding for starting and expanding their aquaculture business.…
2013 eXtension Virtual Aquaculture Workshop
The 2013 Virtual Aquaculture Workshop held on Nov. 12-15 covers a wide variety of freshwater and mariine aquaculture topics. Below you will find links to the recordings of the webinars, PDF copies of the presentations, and reference materials provided by the presenters. If you watch the recordings we ask that you please also participate in the survey. This helps us identify areas of improvment and lets us know what topics you are interested in for future webinars and eXtension
Vanessa Maxwell Weldon
I am the project manager for the Freshwater Aquaculture Community of Practice. My background is in hatchery production of fish for stock enhancement and improving commercial production. I have worked in a variety of areas of research from marine shellfish and fish reproduction to communications and outreach on subjects relevant to aquaculture and the environment. I am responsible for organizing webinars and eXtension content for the Freshwater Aquaculture CoP and manage the Ask an Expert questions for the CoP.…
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 …
Clam Aquaculture
Clams, as a general term, can be used to describe any bivalve mollusk species which buries itself in the sediment. There are numerous commercially important clam species within the United States, though the one most recognized and utilized in shellfish aquaculture operations on the East coast is the quahog or hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria). The hard clam naturally ranges from the Southern Canada to Florida, where aquaculture production of this species was valued at over $60,000,000 in …
Oysters a Healthful and Sustainable Food
Oysters are a very nutritious and well-balanced food. While there are more than 200 oyster species around the globe, only a fraction are edible. The most well known edible oysters include eastern oysters, Pacific oysters, European oysters, and Sydney Rock oysters.
The food history of oysters dates back to prehistoric times as evidenced by shell middens in coastal areas. During colonial times and the 1800s oysters were a food staple so common that street-side vendors in major cities sold the …
Marine Aquaculture Table of Contents
Marine aquaculture experts are coming together to provide research based information to expand domestic marine aquaculture. New materials to support these efforts are coming soon in the following areas:
- getting started in aquaculture
- fin-fish
- shellfish
- other marine species
- aquaculture feeds
- permitting and policy
- business planning
- environmental interactions
- risk management
- marketing
- seafood health benefits and risks
Get Answers to your Marine Aquaculture Questions by Asking an Expert.…