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Issue/Problem To Be Addressed: The U.S. Department of Commerce has recently enunciated a policy to encourage aquaculture development in the United States. The Aquaculture Plan envisions growth of the aquaculture industry in the U.S. to $5 billion by 2025 to alleviate rising seafood deficits due to continued declines of U.S. marine fish stocks and to stabilize world seafood supplies. While a modest land-based aquaculture industry for marine species exists in U.S. coastal areas, there is limited capacity for growth because of competing interests, high land costs, and upland sources of nutrients that place carrying capacity at or near maximum. Further expansion of marine aquaculture in the U.S. requires the development and implementation of new, sustainable, production technologies.

The vast majority of marine finfish production worldwide occurs in near-shore net pens. While this technology has enabled an impressive increase in production volume, limited site availability and the environmental impacts of such near-shore activities have become highly constraining. Therefore, alternative fish culture methods are urgently being sought. Open-ocean aquaculture is the leading contender in this respect due to the capacity to sustain high levels of fish production in an environmentally sustainable manner. However, the technical and regulatory challenges associated with commercial, offshore aquaculture are substantial, requiring appropriate investment in research and development and risk mitigation to succeed. The proposed project will address key bottlenecks to commercially viable, offshore fish production in the U.S.

Research Framework: Hawaii is recognized as the leading offshore aquaculture region in the U.S., having successfully demonstrated large-scale fish production in submerged, open-water cages and possessing the nation's only commercial, offshore fish farming company. Hawaii is a particularly suitable location for offshore aquaculture due to consistent warm-water growing conditions, good water exchange, and the ability to reach deep waters near shore. These are key factors to enhance production, lessen costs, and minimize environmental impact.

Objectives: The proposed Hawaii Offshore Aquaculture Project, led by the Oceanic Institute, will bring together the region's experts to: develop techniques for the mass production of juvenile marine fish in the quantities required to support full commercial-scale operation of offshore fish farms; devise appropriate health management techniques for warm-water fish species reared in open-ocean systems; establish best management practices for offshore farm operation to ensure that environmental regulations are fully met and that the harvested product meets the highest quality standards.

Impact of Achievements: The outputs from this project will serve as a template for sustainable, offshore aquaculture development in Hawaii and beyond and will accelerate the domestic production of high-value marine fish in the face of fierce international competition.
  

See Technology Transfer Seacage Project