USM Invests in Aquaculture
The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in Ocean Springs, Miss., is investing heavily in innovation, technology and facilities for environmentally and economically sustainable marine aquaculture.
An aquacultured bait crab, photo supplied by USM GCRL
GCRL is a leader in low-water use, high bio-security cultivation of marine species for both consumption and enhancing native populations. The Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, one of the largest and most technologically advanced facilities of its kind, is at the center of GCRL’s R&D program. Currently, more than $20 million has been invested at the center in infrastructure and development of environmentally friendly closed-loop systems.
The lab’s rich history of marine aquaculture research began in the 1960s, when the World Mariculture Society was organized there under the guidance of the late GCRL director Dr. Gordon Gunter during a meeting of marine scientists in Ocean Springs.
In subsequent years, GCRL researchers successfully cultured cobia, tripletail, striped bass, red snapper, spotted seatrout , oysters and shrimp. More recently—May 2009—GCRL introduced aquacultured blue crabs as a potential bait fishery and as an appetizer niche for the restaurant industry. Studies are underway to establish aquacultured bait shrimp.
Worldwide, aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of agriculture. GCRL and its state, federal and private partners are committed to helping the United States become more self-sufficient in its production of seafood.
GCRL focuses on sustainable coastal and marine resources, development of new marine technologies and the education of future scientists and citizens.
