Arlington, VA – The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, with the support of approximately $610,000 from NOAA Fisheries, has selected five aquaculture pilot projects along the Atlantic coast to receive funding. NOAA Fisheries provided the funds as part of its efforts to foster responsible aquaculture and seafood security in the U.S. After rigorous review, which included an evaluation of the technical aspects of the proposals as well as their compliance with environmental laws, the following projects were selected. All five projects explore promising, but less commercially-developed, technologies for finfish and shellfish aquaculture, with projects ranging from lobster to shellfish aquaculture. The projects began in July and are scheduled for completion in 2023.
To date, $2.86 million has been distributed or committed through five grant opportunities made available by NOAA and the Commission. To find out more information on previously funded projects please visit our story map at https://arcg.is/Hab100.
| Fiscal Year 2022 Aquaculture Pilot Projects Grants | |
| Principal Investigator | Title |
| Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission | Economic potential of on-growing lobsters in Florida’s spiny lobster fishery |
| University of Maine, Darling Marine Center | Comparing the biological and economic performance of rigid trays and lantern nets for the nursery culture of Atlantic sea callops |
| Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries | Toward resolving wild sea scallop (P. magellanicus) larval spatial and temporal distribution along the Maine coast in support of developing scallop aquaculture |
| University of Maine | Optimizing settlement substrate and nursery practices in support of razor clam (Ensis leei) farming |
| Virginia Institute of Marine Science | Feasibility of offshore wind farm areas as multi-use platforms for lower trophic aquaculture |
For more information, please contact Lindsey Aubart, Cooperative Projects Coordinator, at Aquaculture@asmfc.org or 703.842.0797.