5980820001

Support the viability and expansion of land-based closed-containment aquaculture. Land-based, closed-containment aquaculture has numerous benefits upon which producers can capitalize, such as increased environmental control of fish culture conditions. The ability to optimize these environmental conditions for increased fish production, health, and welfare. Enhanced biosecurity to minimize the likelihood of obligate pathogen entry or the dissemination of pathogens into the surrounding environment. The ability to locate farms close to markets and/or regions supplying inexpensive power. And the ability to capture wastes to significantly reduce environmental contamination.

Raising salmonids to market size entirely in land-based systems (versus the traditional approach using coastal sea cages) is, however, a relatively novel methodology and represents a current frontier in agriculture. As such, numerous improvements and refinements are necessary for this growing industry sector to be viable and sustainable, and TCFFI will continue to be at the vanguard of providing industry with solid research support for closed-containment RAS development.

From extensive discussion and feedback from key industry stakeholders, critical research avenues were identified that will directly address stakeholder needs as the industry continues to grow.

Objective 1: Improve fish health, performance, and welfare in recirculating aquaculture systems.

Sub-objective 1.1: Evaluate salmonids grown to market size in a semi-commercial scale freshwater RAS.
A) Collaborate with NCWMAC to evaluate multiple strains of Atlantic salmon and their performance in a RAS environment.
B) Assess genetic strain of steelhead (including USDA-strain rainbow trout) raised to 4kg in a RAS environment.

Sub-objective 1.2: Assess environmental manipulation to reduce maturation in mixed-sex diploid Atlantic salmon.

Sub-objective 1.3: Improve biological monitoring and management of salmonids in RAS through technological integration of next-generation biomonitors.

Objective 2: Support land-based salmonid recirculating aquaculture systems production through increased technological and operational efficiencies and novel, supplemental revenue streams.

Sub-objective 2.1: Evaluate methodologies to convert RAS waste to value-added products.
1.A: Assess feasibility of new composting technologies of RAS waste solids and their capacity to generate sellable products.
1.B: Assess feasibility of anaerobic digestion of RAS waste solids to generate biogas/energy.

Sub-objective 2.2: Assess novel methods to improve RAS water quality, including optimized integration of membrane biological reactors.

Sub-objective 2.3: Pilot and evaluate new computing technologies for RAS integration to optimize system operational efficiencies.

The Conservation Fund

10.001 - Agricultural Research Basic and Applied Research

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) [USDA]

Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443-4228 United States

Single Zip Code

None

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 03/30/22 to 03/30/25 and the total obligations have increased 690% from $1,565,352 to $12,359,846.