September 22, 2022

The Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative and West Coast Aquaculture Collaborative are among the projects to receive support for another two years

170 stewards gathered at the Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative gathering in Hawai’i in February 2020.

NOAA Sea Grant is continuing support for 11 advanced aquaculture collaboratives initially funded as part of Sea Grant’s 2019 National Aquaculture Initiative. Two of these projects are led by Washington Sea Grant: the Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative and the West Coast Aquaculture Collaborative. Washington Sea Grant is also a partner on the Seaweed Hub (led by Connecticut Sea Grant) and the Hawai’i -Pacific Aquaculture Consortium (led by Hawai’i Sea Grant).

“We are excited that this round of funding among many other things, enables Sea Grant to support Guam Sea Grant in the Indigenous Aquaculture Hub, and will make it possible to gather in Southeast Alaska in partnership with Alaska Native communities stewarding their cultural seafoods,” said Melissa Poe, social scientist at Washington Sea Grant.

The award total of approximately $4.7 million provides a two-year extension for all of the projects. The other project leads are Connecticut, Hawai’i, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina Sea Grant programs. The projects span a variety of topics including fish and shellfish aquaculture, seaweed production and Indigenous aquaculture practices. Grant recipients must match 50 percent of their funding with non-federal funds.

The projects are focused on accelerating the development of specific aquaculture topics through integrated teams of professionals. These teams established collaborative programs, commonly referred to as “Hubs”, to plan for and appropriately focus the next generation of aquaculture investments while enhancing the synthesis and transfer of past research advances to the industry. With the additional support, the teams will continue and expand research, extension and outreach activities and seek new collaborative activities.

This funding is part of $14 million in investments to strengthen U.S. aquaculture announced by NOAA Sea Grant today. “These investments demonstrate Sea Grant’s commitment to sustainably growing U.S. aquaculture throughout coastal and Great Lakes communities,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of NOAA’s National Sea Grant College Program. “The funded projects, which address a variety of challenges, will ensure that growth of the aquaculture sector will be informed by the latest science and community needs.”

In addition to the aquaculture collaboratives, these investments focus on three other areas: early stage propagation strategies, marine finfish juvenile production technologies and creation of the Aquaculture Information Exchange. Learn more about the award and the selected projects here.

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Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
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