7 minute read
Bringing experts together from around the globe
to expand sustainable land-based US production of Atlantic salmon
By: Catherine Frederick and Yonathan Zohar *
In the United States, there is an annual consumption of 493,000 tons of Atlantic salmon. Conservative estimates indicate that over $2 billion of investment is currently committed or planned to develop and construct land-based Atlantic salmon operations in the US.
It is clear that there is an urgent need, and an opportunity to promote domestic salmon aquaculture in the country.
In response, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant (NOAA-NSG) recently funded the Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N), a coordinated, national public-private-federal consortium of experts established to help build capacity for this booming industry.
Americans LOVE salmon. In the United States, we consume 493,000 tons of Atlantic salmon annually.
It is clear that there is an urgent need, and an opportunity to reverse these statistics by promoting domestic salmon aquaculture development in the United States.
Indeed, during the last five years, the US has witnessed a major surge of investments in land-based, domestically grown Atlantic salmon, using recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) platforms.
Conservative estimates indicate that over $2 billion of investment is currently committed or planned to develop and construct land-based Atlantic salmon operations in the US.
Participating states include Florida, Maine, Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington, California, Indiana, Nevada, Texas, and Virginia.
Hence, we are certainly experiencing an emergence of land-based Atlantic salmon aquaculture on a national level.
Production outputs range from a few hundred tons in the initial stages followed by staggering increases of up to tens of thousands of tons.
A few operations have already begun harvesting and selling fish.
RAS-N is engaged in analyzing RAS technology’s status, addressing barriers to its development, and providing a clear national plan to ensure success.
This effort’s overarching mission is to facilitate the growth of environmentally sustainable and economically feasible Atlantic salmon production in the US.
This mission will move the US forward in providing food security and reducing the current trade deficit associated with salmon imports.
A critical aspect of RAS-N is that activities and deliverables are stakeholder-driven.
The network’s guiding principle is to intently listen to the industry regarding their gaps, impediments, and needs.
The program’s final deliverable will be a national strategic plan (i.e., a Road Map) that will include an extensive analysis of the industry’s status, including projected growth, research needs and priorities, mechanisms to promote public-private partnerships, technology transfer, and community engagement.
The Road Map’s goal is to help policymakers, federal and state agencies, and industry identifies and responsibly allocate resources to promote this industry’s success.
RAS-N has many partners, including the Maryland (Lead), Maine, and Wisconsin Sea Grant Programs.
The network’s Lead PI is Dr. Yonathan Zohar, who has decades of experience conducting basic and applied research on Atlantic salmon and working with the Atlantic salmon industry nationally and globally.
His roots with the Atlantic salmon industry began in Maine, where he worked closely with several of the early Atlantic salmon producers.
He has witnessed the industry evolve through the years and opines: “Rapidly expanding the US Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry will only be possible through land-based RAS production, having near-zero interactions with the marine and coastal environment.
RAS-N recently launched a dedicated website to help share its mission, vision, and goals, in addition to current resources and information for industry, the public, students, investors and other interested parties.
The website is a strong deliverable made possible by RAS-N’s project management team and web development team (led by Wisconsin Sea Grant), as well as input from an internal steering committee and the Sea Grant Leadership from Maine, Maryland, and Wisconsin. Readers can visit the site at https://ras-n.org/.
The workshops are a tool for engagement with stakeholders to gain their input and guidance on matters of interest.
Information gathered, which is posted on the RAS-N website, is being used to create a fluid White Paper and to inform the previously mentioned Road Map.
The 1st annual workshop, hosted by the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point’s Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (UWSP- NADF, Bayfield, WI) in December 2019 and coordinated by Greg Fischer and Emma Wiermaa, successfully set the stage for RAS-N activities in 2020.
The 2nd annual workshop was recently hosted by the University of Maryland’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) in Baltimore, Maryland, on the 8th and 9th of October 2020.
Travel restrictions and safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic mandated a change from the 3-day in-person format of the 1st annual workshop (in Wisconsin) to a 2-day virtual workshop.
The event was coordinated by RAS-N’s Lead PI, Dr. Yonathan Zohar of IMET and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), Project Coordinator John Stubblefield of IMET and UMBC, and RAS-N Extension Agent Dr. Catherine (Cat) Frederick of University of Maryland’s Sea Grant Extension Program and IMET.
A total of 115 people from a range of backgrounds attended the conference, including participants from industry (51%), academia (21%), and federal organizations (13%). Other notable attendees included Sea Grant representatives, non-profit organizations, and state organizations.
Figure 2. RAS-N went virtual during the Covid-19 pandemic for the 2nd annual workshop, hosted by IMET in Baltimore and attended by 115 participants.
Both days of the workshop began with a plenary speaker, each of whom shared their perspectives, insight, and knowledge on a topic of interest to the US industry.
The first plenary speaker was Dr. Carole Engle, an expert in the economics of aquaculture businesses and owner of Engle-Stone Aquatic$. She provided her thoughts on RAS economics, stating that “The challenge today is, of course, how to make them [RAS operations] economically viable.”
Following her talk, a group of panelists answered questions related to the economic needs and status of the industry.
Panelists included Chris Hlubb (Salmo, MD), Kevin Tait (Whole Oceans, ME), David Noyes (Nordic Aquafarms, ME), Ole C. Norvik (AquaCon, MD), and plenary speaker Carole Engle (VA).
Dr. Alejandro Rojas, COO of AquaBounty Technologies, was the plenary speaker on Day 2.
Another group of panelists answered more questions aimed at defining qualities and skills needed by the industry’s future workforce.
Panelists included Michael Thompson (Whole Oceans, ME), Sarah Cook (Skretting, New Brunswick, Canada), Greg Fischer (UWSP-NADF, WI), Mary S. Tudor (University of Maine, ME), and plenary speaker Alejandro Rojas (IN).
Attendees also heard from Danielle Blacklock, Director of NOAA’s Office of Aquaculture, Dr. Fredrika Moser, Director of Maryland Sea Grant, Dr. Bill Hubbard, Extension Leader of University of Maryland Sea Grant Extension Programs, Dr. Gayle Zydlewski, Director of Maine Sea Grant and Dr. Jim Hurley, Director of Wisconsin Sea Grant, each of whom provided their perspective on RAS-N and the workshop sessions.
Figure 3. The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute provided a virtual tour of their RAS facilities, highlighting ongoing projects.
Danielle Blacklock commented that “These efforts are providing a valuable mechanism to build capacity and foster collaboration in support of this exciting sector of US aquaculture. The NOAA Aquaculture Program looks forward to further supporting the RAS-N efforts and the continued development of sustainable land-based aquaculture production.”
The workshop wasn’t all business and no play. IMET and the Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute (West Virginia) creatively ‘transported’ attendees to the MD-WV region for a virtual tour of their respective facilities.
Both institutes showcased the unique qualities of their facilities and ongoing research/projects. These tours and other content from the workshop will be accessible through the RAS-N website (https://ras-n. org/).
Through strong industry and stakeholder support, RAS-N will continue to facilitate the growth of environmentally sustainable and economically feasible Atlantic salmon production in the US.
*Catherine Fredericka and Yonathan Zoharb a Dr. Catherine Frederick is a RAS-N Extension Agent, affiliated through the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology at the University of Maryland, Sea Grant College Extension Program. Correspondence email: cfrederi@umd.eduInstitute b Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, Department of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). Further information available at: https://ras-n.org/
