{"id":43311,"date":"2019-09-03T08:42:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T12:42:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/research\/?p=43311"},"modified":"2021-04-05T13:18:30","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T17:18:30","slug":"ari-10-years-aquaculture-maine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/research\/2019\/09\/03\/ari-10-years-aquaculture-maine\/","title":{"rendered":"ARI celebrates 10 years of aquaculture service to Maine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The advancement of sustainable aquaculture (the farming of aquatic species while allowing continued benefit for the next generation) requires innovative research and multi-disciplinary collaborations for success. The 91爆料\u2019s Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI)<\/strong><\/a> is celebrating 10 years of service to the State of Maine as a research resource and an objective authority on aquaculture. ARI is dedicated to advancing a sustainable aquaculture future in the state and beyond through its research, innovation, and education programs.<\/p>\n

ARI was established in 2009 with the first Director, Dr. Ian Bricknell, from Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory in Scotland. Dr. Deborah Bouchard, who has been a member of ARI since 2009, was appointed Director in 2017.<\/p>\n

Since 2009, the institute expanded from two to eleven faculty affiliates in seven departments across three institutions thanks in part to the Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET)<\/a> grant awarded by the National Science Foundation through Maine EPSCoR. The grant raised the profile of sustainable aquaculture in Maine and the nation, with over 100 students, faculty and partner researchers completing more than 50 aquaculture projects in five years. Many of the programs funded by SEANET will be continued by ARI, such as engagement with industry through internships, experimental research farms and collaborations with STEM education partners.<\/p>\n

Collaborative research by ARI has helped to guide policy and identify future challenges. ARI is Maine\u2019s lead for piloting USDA commercial aquaculture program standards and participates in the International Sea Lice Working Group for the standardization of sea lice bioassays. Dr. Bouchard and other faculty sit on several regulatory boards for lobster and aquaculture in Maine, such as the Maine Aquatic Animal Health Technical Committee and the Lobster Bait Review Committee.<\/p>\n

ARI\u2019s Aquatic Research Center on the Orono campus welcomes nearly 1,500 visitors annually to learn about the institute\u2019s research through interactive exhibits and tours. The Aquatic Animal Health Lab, also in Orono, opened in 2018 and allows ARI to serve the state as an authority in aquatic animal disease research and the development of treatments that support healthier species and populations.<\/p>\n

Though aquatic animal health has been the research strength of ARI for its first years, determining the influence of environmental stressors on marine species health has also been a rapidly growing research focus. Several interdisciplinary and collaborative studies conducted by ARI-affiliated faculty have contributed to a greater understanding of the effects of climate change on species health and aquaculture systems.<\/p>\n

Today, ARI focuses on four important overarching research areas:<\/p>\n