Farming the Open Ocean in the US

Farming the Open Ocean in the US
Michael Chambers, UNH and NH Sea Grant
What is Open Ocean Aquaculture?
 Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish,
shrimp, shellfish and aquatic plants.
 Mariculture is farming the ocean.
 Open Ocean farming is conducted in areas that are not sheltered
by land and have exposure to extreme sea conditions.
 This could include sites that are located 10 km or more from
shore, in depths over than 50 m, tidal currents > 0.50 m / sec and
seas > 9 m.
Why Farm the Ocean?
 Worldwide capture fisheries has plateaued around 100 mmt since the 1990’s.
 Currently, the U.S. imports 90% of its seafood creating an annual deficit exceeding $10
billion.
 Over 50% of this seafood production comes from other countries as farmed raised product
without the strict environmental regulations enforced in the U.S.
 The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization predicts a 40 million metric ton
shortfall by 2030 which will have to be met through fish farming.
 Recent federal health guidelines call for Americans to double their seafood consumption.
 If more seafood is cultured in the US, it will create jobs, reduce the carbon foot print on
foreign imports, provide fresh product and will increase seafood security.
 As the population grows and the demand for seafood increases, aquaculture will play an
increasingly important role in domestic and global seafood production.
70% of the planet is ocean
Japan consumes > 50 kg / yr.
US seafood deficit of $10 billion/yr.
Yet it produces only 2% of
our food
US < 7 kg / yr.
Growing populations will increase demand
US Exclusive Economic Zone
Pro’s and Con’s of Farming the OOA
Pro’s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Increased space for expansion
High water quality
Less user conflicts
Less visual concern
Greater dispersion of nutrients
Con’s
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
High wind and wave energies
Difficult to feed and monitor
Increased capitol investment
Increased risks
Need new culture technologies
Video telemetry
Icing
Inshore Protected Aquaculture
Types of Cage Systems
Submersible
Floating
Aquapod
Square, steel (WaveMaster)
Circular, HDPE (Cards, MSI, Cooke)
Sea Station
Feeding Systems (day feeders)
Auto Feed Barges (near shore)
Developing Offshore Feeding Technologies
20 ton Aquamana
1st Generation
2nd Generation
For Sale
Feed Monitoring
Projects that have Advanced OOA in the US
Gulf of Mexico
Florida Pompano
Red Drum
Funded by Occidental Petroleum
Gulf of Mexico
University of Southern Mississippi / Sea grant
GMIT
GMIT
SeaFish
- Red drum
- Cobia
Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute, CA
 Stock enhancement
 Marine aquaculture
White Sea bass
Striped bass
California halibut
Yellowtail
University of Miami
• Fingerling production for ocean
aquaculture.
• Developed live transport
protocols to ship fingerlings to
remote locations.
• They have aided Cobia culture
for Ocean Blue Sea Farms in
Panama and for the Eleuthera
Institute in the Bahamas .
Cobia fingerlings (Rachycentron canadum)
Puerto Rico
 Two Sea Station Cages
 One 3000 m3 Aquapod
 Raised snapper and cobia
 Planned expansion created
permitting challenges
Moved to Panama - Open Blue Sea Farms
Hawaii - Oahu
• Joint project between the Oceanic Institute,
University of HI and Cates International.
• Developed hatchery, nursery and growout
technologies for the Pacific Threadfin
• Submerged culture strategies were employed
with Sea StationTM fish cages.
Hatcheries in HI
•
•
•
•
•
Oceanic Institute
Anuenue Fisheries
Pacific Ocean Ventures
Kona Blue Water Farms
Blue Ocean Mariculture
Oceanic Institute
Pacific Ocean Ventures
Greater Amberjack
Hawaii, The Big Island
Ocean Systems Evaluated at UNH
Marine Fish Cultured in Sea Pens
Gadus morhua
Hippoglossus hippoglossus
Mytilis edulis
Melanogrammus aeglefinus
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Environmental Monitoring is an Important Component
• Solar powered with spread spectrum
data telemetry to shore
• Lower cost accelerometer as motion
sensor – wave height
• Current speed and direction
• Sampled at three different depths
including:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Temperature
O2
Salinity
pH
Florescence
Turbidity
Pressure
What’s the Future for Farming the Ocean
• Ocean renewable energy and seafood production should be
integrated together of offshore infrastructure .
• Integrate environmental stewardship
– Involving integrated multi-trophic species
• Organic and inorganic species
• Marine seaweeds for bio fuels
• Develop new protein sources for fish feeds (marine plant based)
• Develop turn key ocean farming systems
• Engage fishermen and cross train in ocean farming