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

Goal: Commercialize innovative recirculating aquaculture technologies for sustainable, land-based production of high-value marine fish. Researchers at the University of Maryland developed and patented one of the first successful recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for commercially producing high-value marine fish in a completely closed, biosecure environment. The technology enables year-round production with minimal water use, eliminates effluent discharges and fish escap

Goal: Expand the nationwide adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices by developing a credible national certification program. Integrated pest management reduces pesticide use by combining biological, cultural, and other environmentally responsible pest-control methods. Although IPM offers significant environmental and public health benefits, its adoption has been limited by the lack of a nationally recognized certification program that allows consumers to identi

Goal: Evaluate the feasibility of small-scale commercial shellfish aquaculture as a sustainable economic opportunity for coastal communities. As wild shellfish populations declined and traditional fishing incomes fell, many coastal communities sought new ways to preserve their maritime heritage while supporting local livelihoods. TerrAqua evaluated the feasibility of developing a small-scale shellfish aquaculture industry in Southampton, New York. The study assessed environme

Goal: Help Chesapeake Bay watermen develop sustainable, small-scale oyster aquaculture while restoring oysters to the Bay and strengthening local economies. Smith Island, Maryland, and neighboring Tangier Island, Virginia, are historic Chesapeake Bay communities whose economies have long depended on crabbing and oystering. As wild oyster populations declined, TerrAqua helped develop an oyster aquaculture initiative to diversify local incomes while preserving the islands' mari

As Maryland watermen began transitioning from harvesting wild oysters to farming them, they needed practical guidance on production, marketing, and business planning. TerrAqua and Ocean Equities provided marketing and business development assistance to help growers evaluate the commercial potential of oyster aquaculture. We assessed production costs, potential revenues, and regional market opportunities for alternative growing and marketing strategies, and translated the resu

Goal: Evaluate the feasibility of integrating aquaculture and agriculture in arid regions of the southwestern United States. Integrated aquaculture and agriculture recycles nutrient-rich aquaculture water to irrigate greenhouse and field crops, conserving water and fertilizer while reducing production costs. Building on successful commercial systems developed in Israel's Negev Desert, TerrAqua evaluated the potential to adapt this approach to several sites in the American Sou

Goal: Strengthen agricultural collaboration between Ohio and Israel through research, technology transfer, trade, and commercial partnerships. TerrAqua and the Negev Foundation assessed the agricultural strengths, needs, and opportunities in Ohio and Israel to identify areas for expanded cooperation. The project examined opportunities for research collaboration, technology transfer, agricultural biotechnology, marketing, and trade, providing a framework for government agencie

Goal: Develop a rapid, field-based system for monitoring pathogens in shellfish-growing waters. InnovaPrep, a Missouri-based biotechnology company, developed a first-generation system for concentrating large volumes of seawater into small samples suitable for quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. The technology was designed to enable rapid detection of Vibrio and other human pathogens in shellfish-growing waters, supporting real-time monitoring by growers, r

Goal: Strengthen the Hopi Reservation's economy through sustainable desert agriculture while preserving its cultural traditions. As traditional subsistence farming became less economically viable, Hopi leaders sought new ways to revitalize agriculture, create local employment, and encourage younger generations to remain on the Reservation. TerrAqua partnered with the Negev Foundation, Hopi communities, Israeli agricultural experts, and a UC Davis agronomist to adapt proven de

Goal: Develop a commercially viable land-based system for producing premium half-shell Eastern oysters. Ocean Equities, LLC, TerrAqua, and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) at the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus collaborated on a proof-of-concept project to evaluate whether Eastern oysters could be grown economically in a recirculating saltwater aquaculture system. Building on earlier success with Pacific oysters, the project assessed the com

Goal: Evaluate innovative technologies that could improve the safety, quality, and affordability of post-harvest oyster treatment. Naturally occurring Vibrio bacteria pose an ongoing food safety challenge for the shellfish industry, particularly during warmer months. Existing post-harvest treatments can be expensive and may affect oyster quality, creating a need for more effective, affordable, and consumer-friendly alternatives. TerrAqua was part of a multidisciplinary team t

Goal: Help commercialize an innovative offshore fish cage technology for sustainable, large-scale marine aquaculture. Mariculture Systems, an Israeli start-up, developed a patented semi-submersible offshore fish cage designed to operate in exposed, open-ocean environments. During severe weather, the cages can be lowered below the surface, allowing fish to avoid rough seas while taking advantage of the cleaner, well-oxygenated waters found offshore. The technology was designed