Troutlodge and University Team up on Aquaculture

The agreement calls for the joint training of students and professionals, cooperative research, and the sharing of knowledge and resources.

Aquaculture is the fastest growing sector in global food production. It currently contributes 50 per cent of all seafood available for human consumption worldwide. The programme at the University of Miami has played a major role in supporting the development of the industry in the Americas and the Caribbean.

During the last decade, the Aquaculture programme at UM has focused on developing technologies for sustainable aquaculture. The main focus areas include: hatchery technology, fishmeal use in aquaculture, environmental pollution and fish health. Using science-based, verifiable research, the programme is successfully identifying and developing new opportunities in marine aquaculture.

"Partially funded by NOAA, we have been able to establish the most advanced hatchery technology for cobia," said Dr. Daniel Benetti, professor and director of the UM Aquaculture programme. "We have successfully carried out the research required to develop this technology, and have sustainably produced large numbers of cobia eggs, larvae and fingerlings. Now it is time for the private sector to take this technology to the next level and commercialize it."

With the agreement with Troutlodge now in place, UM's Aquaculture programme can concentrate on what it does best – pioneering research on species suitable for aquaculture. The hatchery will next begin to focus on tuna, goggle-eye (bait fish), snapper and Seriola (jacks and pompanos).

Jim Parsons, the director of Troutlodge's marine division is enthusiastic about the agreement. "To be able to work with an organization like UM's Rosenstiel School is a dream come true. We are excited by the potential of marine fish aquaculture. The strength of our company in genetics and brood stock management has supported the success of salmonid producers throughout the world, and we firmly believe that by combining similar efforts in emerging marine fish species with the cutting edge work of the University of Miami, we will meet with equal success."

The UM Aquaculture programme has worked with Snapperfarm/Open Blue Sea Farms for the last ten years in demonstrating the technological, environmental and economical feasibility of developing open ocean aquafarms. Open Blue Sea Farms will continue to be a lead partner and customer of this new initiative.