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National Sea Grant Announces $3.4M to Support Aquaculture Research and Outreach

Courtesy of NAA:

The National Sea Grant College Program has announced $3.4 million in federal funding to support aquaculture research and outreach. The funding, which leverages all federal dollars 2:1 with state matching funds, will support 11 aquaculture research projects and 23 projects to organize and conduct conferences and workshops to transfer aquaculture information. This announcement of competitive awards is part of Sea Grant’s overall effort to support the development of environmentally and economically sustainable ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture.

New research projects totaling $3 million in federal funds include research on managing the complex profile of biotoxins threatening the shellfish industry of lower Chesapeake Bay, integrating mussel and long-line kelp structures and management in New Hampshire, and developing technologies to expand the supply of emerging marine finfish fingerlings for commercial offshore aquaculture systems among other topics.

Outreach projects totaling $400,000 in federal funding will support conferences, workshops, training and technology transfer efforts focused on advancing aquaculture knowledge, management and collaboration. Projects include strengthening the network of fishpond practitioners in Hawaii, building collaboration among the aquaculture and fishing industries in California, and training shellfish aquaculturists in Connecticut among others.

The $3.4 million in grants is part of Sea Grant’s $9 million national aquaculture research and technology transfer portfolio in 2016. Additional components of the portfolio include ongoing aquaculture research efforts ($1.8M for 27 projects) and ongoing technology transfer and extension efforts ($3.1M) by Sea Grant universities and partners around the country.

Learn more about National Sea Grant, current and prior grant awards, and their aquaculture focused efforts by visiting: http://seagrant.noaa.gov.

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