Projects

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) raise fish in closed tanks that reuse most of their water, allowing high production with limited waste. Conditions are tightly controlled, disease risks are lower, and facilities can be located almost anywhere—driving rapid growth in the U.S. and globally. Hydroponics grows plants indoors without soil and is now widely used to produce herbs and leafy greens sold in grocery stores. These crops grow quickly—often in just a few weeks. Aqua

Indoor recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) offer a sustainable alternative to traditional fish farming in ponds, raceways, and floating net pens. Because these closed systems continuously filter and reuse water, they minimize pollution, avoid conflicts with coastal users, and can operate virtually anywhere using artificial seawater—including warehouses and other facilities in economically disadvantaged urban areas. Their proximity to consumers also allows fish to be harve

Goal: To broaden the adoption of IPM practices nationwide, thereby reducing pesticide risks and promoting a healthy environment. Integrated pest management (IPM) benefits the environment by preserving natural enemies of pests, delaying pesticide resistance and reducing ecological and human health risks by reducing pesticide use. Despite such benefits, IPM adoption in the US has been far below potential. One reason is the failure of the marketplace to demand IPM-produced goods

In many coastal communities, commercial fishermen, no longer able to obtain a livable income from shellfish harvesting, have had to find other sources of income. These traditional fishermen and their trade are key components in the ambience of coastal communities. Without them, seaside towns lose much of their identity. Wild shellfish stocks have declined in many areas, and coastal lands have become expensive. Small-scale shellfish aquaculture may provide marine-based livelih

Goal: To help local watermen communities develop sustainable, small-scale oyster farming and, in a small way, restore oysters to Chesapeake Bay. The approximately 1,200 residents of Smith Island, Maryland, and Tangier Island, Virginia, are descendants of British settlers who established these isolated Chesapeake Bay communities in the mid-1600s. For generations, their economy and culture have depended on harvesting blue crabs and oysters. As wild oyster populations declined,

Several years ago, Calvert County Watermen’s Association members began receiving technical support from Morgan State University’s Estuarine Research Center and other entities to farm oysters in the Patuxent River, a Chesapeake tributary. These Maryland watermen and others are interested in growing oysters in Chesapeake Bay to help restore the formerly abundant resource, currently at one percent of its historic level. In December 2010, CCWA members harvested their first farmed

Goal: To evaluate the potential for integrated desert aquaculture and agriculture on several southwestern U.S. sites. In integrated aquaculture and agriculture, aquaculture effluent is recycled to irrigate greenhouse or field crops. Irrigating crops with aquaculture effluent conserves water, fertilizer and other resources, and lowers production costs. Israeli researchers and growers have developed commercial integrated intensive aquaculture and agriculture in the Negev Desert

In an effort to improve agricultural ties—R & D, technology and agricultural biotech transfer, scientific and marketing exchange—between Ohio and Israel, TerrAqua and the Negev Foundation developed a preliminary overview to help Israeli and Ohio entities and growers better understand the abilities and needs of each, and opportunities for increasing future cooperation. With that in hand, the Foundation has begun working with government and academic entities and individuals in

InnovaPrep, a Drexel, Missouri-based microbiological tech company, received federal funding to develop a first-generation system for onsite processing of large volumes of shellfish-growing waters, to prepare them for Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR), which could be analysed onsite or easily sent elsewhere. The goal is to allow real-time sea water monitoring for vibrios and, eventually, other human pathogens that can accumulate in shellfish, using small, highly co

Goal: To develop state-of-the-art capabilities for sustained desert agricultural production and marketing on the Hopi Reservation, and in other arid regions of North America. Traditional subsistence farming on the Hopi Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona is no longer economically viable. High unemployment has prompted many young Hopis to leave, further eroding Hopi culture and tradition. Hopi leaders have sought to reinvigorate agriculture on the Reservation, hoping to

Goal: To develop proprietary land-based aquaculture for high-quality, half-shell oysters and market them with a high margin of return. Ocean Equities, LLC, TerrAqua, and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) at the University of Maryland Baltimore collaborated on a proof-of-concept project to evaluate the commercial production of Eastern oysters in a recirculating saltwater aquaculture system. The goal was to determine whether Eastern oysters could be gr

Shellfish aquaculture is the largest sector of U.S. marine aquaculture. As the industry expands, growers and regulators face increasing pressure to reduce illnesses caused by naturally occurring Vibrio bacteria, which become more prevalent during warmer months. Existing post-harvest treatments can alter the flavor and texture of oysters, are often unpopular with consumers, and are too costly for the thousands of small, independent shellfish farmers who dominate the industry.

Mariculture Systems, an Israeli start-up, developed an innovative semi-submersible offshore platform for raising fish in the open sea. Designed by leading marine engineering and aquaculture experts, the platform can withstand waves up to 17 meters (56 feet) high. During storms, the fish cages are lowered to about 30 meters below the surface, allowing the fish to behave naturally and avoid rough conditions. Each platform is capable of producing 7,000-10,000 metric tons of fish