The Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) recently showcased its commitment to advancing sustainable aquaculture research at the Northeast Aquaculture Conference & Exposition (NACE) in Rhode Island. Established by the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center  in 1998, NACE brings together a diverse network of stakeholders to discuss innovative research in aquaculture. ARI played a significant role in this dialogue, facilitating student involvement and showcasing the expertise of its researchers. The team, including Adam St Gelais, Cara Blaine, Kara Chuang, Chris Noren, Denise Skonberg, Brian Beal, Ayodeji Olaniyi, Kyle Brennan, Sue Ishaq, Paul Rawson, and Tim Bowden, covered a broad spectrum of topics ranging from seaweed cultivation and advanced fish nutrition to innovative shellfish farming and ecological sustainability practices. This engagement, coupled with a strategic visit to GreenWave hatchery in Connecticut, known for its regenerative ocean farming practices, underscores ARI’s commitment to driving forward the industry through relevant research and collaborative development, reinforcing its leadership in aquaculture innovation.

At the NACE conference, ARI participated in a panel discussion led by communication specialist Corinne Noufi. The panel brought together diverse perspectives covering a range of topics  from kelp aquaculture and nursery optimization to the complexities of scallop and finfish cultivation, as well as the importance of workforce development and communications. This session underscored ARIs dedication to fostering research that is not only academically rigorous but directly beneficial to the aquaculture industry. This approach effectively bridges the gap between academic research and practical application, ensuring ARI’s contributions impact the growth and sustainability of the aquaculture sector. Listeners can find the recording as part of ARIs Salty Talks Podcast. 

Prior to the conference, the visit to the GreenWave hatchery in Connecticut highlighted the importance ARI places on shared knowledge and industry relationships. This visit allowed ARI researchers to engage in-depth with other field experts, facilitating the exchange of innovative techniques and ideas. The primary focus of this visit was the exploration of advanced cultivation practices, particularly in the realm of seaweed culture. Using its new state-of-the-art photobioreactor (a system that uses controlled light and nutrients to grow algae more efficiently), ARI is at the forefront of advancements in these areas. The practices discussed are essential in addressing key challenges in the industry, such as optimizing resource use and reducing environmental impacts.

These discussions at GreenWave extended to encompass broader concerns within the aquaculture industry, including market dynamics, workforce development,  infrastructure challenges, and the role of aquaculture in climate change mitigation, reflecting ARI’s holistic approach to aquaculture research.

ARI’s attendance at  NACE provided a crucial interface between academic  and industry stakeholders, offering researchers and students valuable insights into the practical applications and implications of their research. This interaction is instrumental in fostering a collaborative space where academia and industry can converge, leading to innovations that are both scientifically sound and commercially viable.

BALTIMORE, MD – part of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, welcomed a community of aquaculture experts from both the U.S. and abroad during the 2nd annual SAS² Conference, held between October 17-20. This project in partnership with the 91±¬ÁĎ Aquaculture Research Institute, funded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), highlighted the value of collaborative research and partnerships.

IMET Director, Russell Hill, set the stage, emphasizing the transformative potential of sustainable aquaculture, showcasing how the SAS² project champions responsible salmon practices nationwide. Project Director, Dr. Yonathan Zohar, noted the reality that the U.S. imports 90% of its salmon. Such a heavy reliance on international sources underscores the urgency to bolster domestic salmon production, ensuring a sustainable and self-reliant supply chain. 

Throughout the event, participants engaged in multidisciplinary discussions focusing on practical measures to reduce carbon footprints,  innovative uses of waste in aquaculture, and the nuances of land-based salmon farming. Comprehensive panels also touched on the intricacies of U.S. aquaculture permits, risk assessments, and off-flavor mitigation 

Leading the way in educational initiatives, Scarlet Tudor and an undergraduate student, Katarina Minas, from the Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) at the 91±¬ÁĎ provided attendees with an immersive experience via a virtual reality (VR) tour of 91±¬ÁĎ’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR). Through advanced imaging techniques, she showcased various facets of the facility, including her favorite, the lumpfish room. Minas envisions this VR tour as a critical tool for educators, enabling students from remote parts of Maine to learn about aquaculture and its career prospects.

Keynote speaker, Matthew Craze from Spheric Research, shed light on the shift in land-based aquaculture, spotlighting Norway’s adoption of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) in salmon hatcheries and its innovative strides in supply chain management. Meanwhile, Daisy Berg from New Seasons Market shared a story of the Pacific Northwest’s evolution from a staunch wild salmon stronghold to recognizing the pivotal role of aquaculture innovations like RAS in sustaining wild salmon populations. Her insights challenged long-held perceptions and highlighted the synergy between traditional practices and modern innovations.

During the graduate student showcase, Halli Bair, an ARI student of Heather Hamlin, Director of the School of Marine Sciences, delved into her work focused on broodstock and offspring quality in Atlantic salmon. Her work aims to understand embryo survival rates in commercial hatcheries. This research could potentially reshape industry practices, offering an avenue to predict and improve fish performance early in the production lifecycle.

Culminating the conference, Steve Summerfelt from Superior Fresh and Steering Committee Chair of the SAS² project celebrated the collective ambition of attendees, articulating a unified vision: to solidify the U.S.’s position as a global leader in sustainable aquaculture. This conference not only celebrated past achievements but also set a clear goal for the U.S. aquaculture community, charting a path towards a sustainable and self-reliant future.

This summer, 91±¬ÁĎ Ph.D. student Chris Noren leads the third year of Atlantic sea scallop data collection in Damian Brady’s lab, an affiliate faculty member of the Aquaculture Research Institute. . The rise of domestic & sustainable seafood as an increasingly desirable and necessary product, naturally compels the scallop industry to develop farmed counterparts as efficiently as possible. Until then, the supply-demand gap increases, leading the Brady Lab to develop sustainable industry practices for an emerging US aquaculture subsector, beginning with culture methods. 

Still, lantern nets have their limitations. Farming shellfish is backbreaking labor, with biofouling, sediment, and gear itself contributing to a weight hovering around 300 lbs. Most days, you can see the process in action, with Noren and his interns Ruth Havener and Gary Moline going between the experimental farm and the processing station on their floating dock (affectionately named Norman). Their routine is a good reminder of why a collaborative team makes all the difference. 

During the off-season, Havener studies at Duke University. However, she comes from a Maine family with multigenerational ties to the lobster industry. Life on the water has always been a cornerstone for her, but she did not realize her passion for Maine aquaculture until she meditated on life outside of the state. Aside from asserting “scallops are the best-tasting seafood,” Havener values their intersection with eDNA research. “I’m doing this internship to learn more about the aquaculture industry and its practices so I can apply it to my future career.” When Moline is away from his marine biology program at the 91±¬ÁĎ, he calls Belfast home. What began as a recreational diving trip in Mexico bloomed into “a whole new world” of possibility. Hands-on experience solidified his pathway during his time in ARI’s Aquatic Animal Health course. Each has a unique aquaculture background, but both Ruth and Gary ultimately share the desire to stay connected to the water.

“It’s work for sure, but it doesn’t feel like it,” according to Moline. Sustained progress on critical work requires a passionate cohort. Through their joint efforts, we can better understand why innovative  research is crucial throughout aquaculture, with scallops as no exception. Noren is taking additional initiative by looking into site optimization and different culture methods using innovative gear. Coupled with unique, strategic technology will solidify upward mobility of the state’s industry.

Noren’s bifurcated interests relate to gear innovation and temperature oscillation. Workability and efficiency are necessary considerations for scallop aquaculture, and lantern nets somewhat contradict the true capacity of suspended culture. Noren looks to contemporary Japanese farms, which serve as a gold standard for scallop operations. Japan employs an innovative growout alternative: ear-hanging. The name paints a unique visual of how the system works;  nets on a longline are replaced by suspended ropes with scallops spaced a few inches apart and secured by a pin positioned by their notch. Decades of implementation abroad indicates this system works well, with reduced biofouling, making the lines easier to handle. This alone contributes to residual benefits, especially in terms of processing and maintenance. Understanding impacts of a scallop farm’s location is of equal importance when it comes to optimizing the sector. The secret to effective site selection is intrinsically tied to the second aspect of Noren’s research: growth implications of oscillating temperature.

Both research foci rely on several tools and key players across the state. Researchers at the Darling Marine Center reference parameters (chlorophyll, temperature, pH, and salinity) provided by the Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatory (LOBO) Buoy, maintained by the Brady Lab. Concurrently, commercial growers from (Penobscot Bay) and Acadia Aqua Farm (Frenchman Bay) have been invaluable assets, offering high-value study sites that may be otherwise inaccessible to Noren and his peers. “We get to research under real conditions,” he notes. The team will “often run small trials at our farm and then scale them to commercial farms to get a better understanding of their relevance. Growers are better able to assess whether our research would work at scale. So, we get real world results and the industry gets to alleviate some risk from being an early adopter of new research.”Research like Noren’s, alongside his mentorship for Havener and Moline, is crucial for  Maine’s blue economy as it continues to accelerate. While industry leaders and researchers in the sector are the primary demographic for his work, his reach extends far beyond that. Producing informed and passionate externs is a crucial step in moving the industry forward as well. Their curiosity is contagious, and the impact from their knowledge can be limitless. Like the tide, scallop research moves fast. Keep up with groundbreaking findings in Chris’ upcoming paper: How scallop growth oscillates with temperature and season for sustainable development of the scallop aquaculture sector.

Through an Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) externship, 91±¬ÁĎ Marine Science major Jess Cleary-Reuning is working for the in Rockland, ME. 

After serving as a granite quarry in the 1870’s and a base camp for Outward Bound from 1964 to 2006, Hurricane Island is now the site of the Center for Science and Leadership (HICSL). Since 2009, this educational center has been a home for adventurous students of all ages to learn about the natural world and sustainable, environmental practices. Cleary-Reuning’s mother visited Hurricane Island Outward Bound as a youth in the summer, so  exploring HICSL naturally interested Cleary-Reuning.

HICSL’s summer programs for adults, students and school groups provide participants with tools for leadership and social change. This summer, Cleary-Reuning works alongside Aquaculture Manager Madison Maier on the Island Ecology and Marine Ecology high school education programs. 

“Island Ecology focuses on freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Marine Ecology focuses o​​n the tidal zone, learning about the fisheries in the area and our aquaculture farm. Our aquaculture farm started as a Limited Purpose Aquaculture lease site (LPA), and in 2019, we expanded into a full, 3.2-acre experimental farm,” Maier says. 

The research farm contains an oyster long line and cages, lantern nets for Atlantic sea scallops, and a wooden platform, referred to as “The Float”, with bolted-down lab tables and a solar panel powering machinery for field work. Students in the Island Ecology and Marine Ecology programs have the opportunity to see the farm, learn how it operates, and observe marine invertebrates. 

These educational experiences gained from the summer programs provide training in multiple skills in aquaculture and marine ecosystems, and these are what Cleary-Reuning is observing for her externship. Working at HICSL, Cleary-Reuning gathers data to help the 91±¬ÁĎ Cooperative Extension create youth micro-credentials. 

To do this, Cleary-Reuning researched adult micro-credentials already being utilized in order to find ways to build youth micro-credentials. Adult micro-credentials involve a three-level program: level one is gaining knowledge and information from an instructor; level two is hands-on experience and applying knowledge; level three is certifying all experiences and knowledge in the real world. The micro-credential itself is a digital badge earned after the program’s completion and can be placed on an individual’s LinkedIn, Gmail, or resume.

“If you click on it, the micro-credential shows a webpage outlining exactly what that individual did to get that micro-credential. Name, date received, what work was completed, and skills learned and shown. I see it more as a personalized resume addition,” Cleary-Reuning says.

To build micro-credentials for youth, Cleary-Reuning is observing programs at HICSL and deciding which skills and knowledge could be applied to a micro-credential.  “I am looking at what we do with the kids and separating the activities between knowledge and skills. The aquaculture tour would be knowledge. Doing scallop measurements and sorting spat would be skills,” Cleary-Reuning says.

Observing education at HICSL has helped Cleary-Reuning define what youth micro-credentials could entail. This summer, students in the High School Marine and Ecology programs did small research projects involving skills such as organizing data, handling invertebrates, creating graphs and charts, writing hypotheses and presenting posters. Each of these skills will be part of a micro-credential for youths who want to study aquaculture or marin

e science in the future. Cleary-Reuning’s time on Hurricane Island allowed a large data set to form and help 91±¬ÁĎ create micro-credentials for youths, all while giving Cleary-Reuning time to herself.

“I’ve been scuba diving and learned how to drive skiffs and tie knots. It’s just a really unique living and learning environment. There’s a lot of personal things that I am learning from living here too. It’s not a traditional internship,” Cleary-Reuning says.