The University of �鶹��ý is set to play a pivotal role in a new national effort to strengthen America’s seafood supply and expand sustainable aquaculture. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the creation of the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM).

Funded by an initial $13.5 million investment for its first year, this five-year cooperative institute aims to harness partnerships with researchers to unlock the potential of U.S. marine aquaculture. The University of New Hampshire will serve as the host institution, with UH participating as one of five core consortium members in this competitive national program.

The UH research team is being led by Associate Professor Chatham Callan out of the UH Hilo (PACRC). Callan is joined by co-investigators Professor Maria Haws of PACRC, Associate Research Professor Erik Franklin of the in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at UH Mānoa, and �鶹��ý Sea Grant Associate Director for Extension Darren Okimoto and several other UH Faculty partners.

“Being selected as a core member of CIFARM is a testament to the decades of world-class aquaculture research happening right here in �鶹��ý,” said Callan. “Through our partnerships with Native Hawaiian communities, we draw on a tradition of ocean stewardship and fishpond engineering that stretches back centuries. Our UH team is excited to bring that unique Pacific perspective and expertise to the national stage. By focusing on cutting-edge tech, environmental forecasting, and real-world marine demonstration projects, we are actively building the blueprint for a more resilient, self-sufficient seafood industry.”

$24B in imported seafood annually

CIFARM‘s core mission is to solve real-world challenges affecting seafood producers and consumers while reducing the nation’s reliance on imported seafood. Currently, Americans consume more than $24 billion in imported seafood annually, with approximately half estimated to be farmed overseas. By advancing domestic aquaculture, CIFARM aims to bolster national food security, create jobs and uplift coastal economies in complement to wild-capture fisheries.

The UH team will contribute to a broad range of research priorities. CIFARM researchers will investigate scientific solutions that can be leveraged for industry advancement. Key focus areas include engineering and technology development, artificial intelligence for aquaculture, environmental observations and forecasting, and marine aquaculture demonstration projects. The consortium will also conduct critical risk management, vulnerability analyses and seafood market research. The Hawaii team will also partner with USAPI researchers, including University of Guam Sea Grant and the in FSM to extend CIFARM’s reach throughout the Pacific.

“This partnership underscores the University of �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s vital role in advancing sustainable aquaculture systems that directly impact our global food supply,” said Norman Arancon, director of the UH Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resource Management. “We have always championed practical, impactful science. Through CIFARM, our researchers and students will be at the forefront of a $13.5 million national effort, utilizing �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s unique seascape to drive economic growth, bolster food security, and train the next generation of leaders in sustainable marine aquaculture.”

�鶹��ý is uniquely positioned for this work. The state is already home to Blue Ocean Mariculture in Kona, currently the only offshore fish farm in the U.S., providing a vital real-world connection to the consortium’s demonstration and commercialization goals.

In addition to University of New Hampshire and UH, the network includes �鶹��ý Sea Grant, New Hampshire Sea Grant, the University of Miami, Florida Sea Grant, the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute and California Sea Grant.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa has secured a nearly $1.1 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to unlock reliable spawning techniques for a Native Hawaiian sea cucumber species, the warty sea cucumber (stichopus horrens).

The project aims to address a major barrier in developing sustainable aquaculture in �鶹��ý and supporting traditional Hawaiian fishpond (loko iʻa) restoration efforts. It is a partnership between UH’s (CTAHR) and (�鶹��ý Sea Grant).

A growing global aquaculture market

Sea cucumbers, which are related to starfish, have a global market of nearly $1 billion, primarily as food and medicinal products. Overfishing has severely depleted them in the ocean. In �鶹��ý, the lack of dependable methods for breeding local species has been the primary hurdle to commercial aquaculture of this marine animal.

“We plan to address key barriers to the controlled spawning of sea cucumbers in �鶹��ý by focusing on protocols to induce egg development and spawning in captivity,” said lead principal investigator Andre P. Seale, a researcher and professor in CTAHR’s .

The project integrates UH’s research and extension resources—which use university knowledge to create solutions in communities—with cultural and industry partners, including the Pacific American Foundation’s Waikalua Loko Iʻa fishpond and Kauaʻi Sea Farms. This combined effort is designed to rapidly advance research findings into reliable food production methods and conservation restocking.

This award builds on recent foundational research by the team that was published in . That work identified a protein that causes eggs to mature in the warty sea cucumber, providing the scientific framework for the current project.

A recently completed aquaculture facility, encompassing approximately 8,600 square feet and containing two recirculation systems used to house aquatic organisms in freshwater or saltwater, is now in operation at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa.

The Tuahine Aquaculture Research and Education Center (TAREC) was established as a partnership between the (CTAHR) and (�鶹��ý Sea Grant).

“Ultimately, through a versatile and integrated system design capable of providing animals with a range of environmental conditions, the main goal of TAREC is to provide a platform for integrated research, extension and education activities that address aquaculture industry needs and funding agency priorities while supporting workforce development,” said CTAHR Professor Andre Seale, who spearheaded the project.

There are nearly 80 tanks and experimental aquaria ranging in capacity from 20–5,000 liters. The facility is currently housing tilapia broodstock and Native Hawaiian sea cucumbers for ongoing research projects. Seale and his students are also conducting a �鶹��ý Sea Grant-funded study on striped mullet culture for Hawaiian fishpond restocking efforts.

“We have been thrilled to work with Dr. Seale over the past several years to help create a much needed aquaculture facility at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa and look forward to our continued partnership on aquaculture research, outreach, and education activities,” �鶹��ý Sea Grant Director Darren Lerner said.

Seale is also utilizing TAREC for experiential learning activities on aquaculture systems for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in his aquaculture production course. Future outreach and education activities include collaborating with �鶹��ý Sea Grant on aquaculture training workshops for the community.

Funding for TAREC was provided by the UH Mānoa Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research, CTAHR, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Armando García-Ortega, an professor at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo, is leading a significant change in fish farming. His research is making waves in the world of aquaculture by demonstrating that vegetarian diets can be used not only for herbivorous fish but also for those that typically consume other fish.

Replace traditional ingredients

This research is a breakthrough for sustainable seafood production. It shows that algal meals can replace traditional fish ingredients, reducing the need for overfishing. García-Ortega’s study is also the first to use algae meals, such as Schizochytrium and Arthrospira, to completely replace fish meal and oil in feeds for various fish species.

Additionally, García-Ortega is advocating for the use of locally sourced feed ingredients to lower the environmental impact of fish farming.

“In �鶹��ý and the Pacific Islands, transporting feed or feed ingredients for fish farming increases the environmental costs of our food production,” explained García-Ortega. “By-products from the locally produced algae Spirulina and Haeamatococcus can be used to replace at least half of the ingredients in fish feeds. If planned adequately, seafood production by aquaculture can contribute to increasing food security in the islands.”

Increasing available feed

García-Ortegaʻs work focuses on creating fish feeds using locally produced limu (seaweed) among other ingredients. “The aim is to increase the number of available feedstuffs to boost local production of animal feeds,” said García-Ortega. His innovative approach involves replacing traditional fish meal and fish oil with algae, yeast and insect meals.

One of García-Ortega’s most notable studies, published in 2016, explored replacing fish meal and fish oil with soybean protein and algae in the diets of giant groupers. This research has become one of the most cited papers in its field. The study found that using 40% soy and algae in the diet of giant groupers produced similar growth to diets with fish-based ingredients.

“We reported for the first time carnivorous marine fish can be farmed with feeds containing algal meals and produce the same fish growth and nutritional quality as the unsustainable practice of feeding fish with other fish,” said García-Ortega. “We basically propose to feed vegetarian diets not only to carnivorous fish, but to all farmed fish.”

–By Susan Enright

The is part of a new consortium funded by a federal grant of nearly $1 million to address critical economic and marketing gaps in the country’s aquaculture industry. Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic life, such as fish and shellfish, in controlled environments like ponds or tanks. The multi-state and island project will emphasize building bridges across a range of geographic regions between researchers, industry leaders, and state extension services.

“With record production of $90 million in 2023, aquaculture is now one of the largest contributors in agricultural production in �鶹��ý, yet key information for planning and decision-making is lacking,” said Maria Haws, an aquaculture professor at UH Hilo. Haws is based at the university’s (PACRC) in Keaukaha, Hilo Bay.

According to Haws, the gap in key information is due to the highly diverse nature of production methods, systems, and species that are cultured in �鶹��ý. Aquaculture spans from breeding shrimp in land-based systems to farming hamachi (kāhala) in open-ocean cages. However, current studies fail to capture the economic dynamics of these diverse regions.

“�鶹��ý and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands have relatively weak capacity for aquaculture economics since there are no dedicated aquaculture economists, although some economic specialists contribute to research in this area,” Haws said. “Results from this work, as well as the relationships developed through the consortium, will help compensate for this.”

�鶹��ý expertise

PACRC will lead the �鶹��ý component of the project and develop educational materials, online tools for industry and other users, and assist with farm economic studies.

Diverse collaboration

Project collaborators are a geographically diverse group of economists and extension specialists with backgrounds in freshwater, coastal, marine, and recirculating aquaculture systems. Led by Virginia Tech, a public land-grant research university, the group also draws expertise from institutions across the nation such as Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University, University of Maryland, University of Alaska, Morgan State University, Maine Aquaculture Association, University of Guam and University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, to address challenges facing the domestic aquaculture industry.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grant is providing funding for the establishment of the Aquaculture Economics and Markets Collaborative over the next two years.

—By Susan Enright

Aquaculture economics pioneer Eugene Y.C. Shang died on February 20, 2023, surrounded by his family in Sacramento, California. Shang was an emeritus professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s (CTAHR).

Shang first joined UH in 1964 with the Economic Research Center. In 1974, he moved to the to better pursue his interest in fisheries and marine economics. He later transferred to CTAHR’s former Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics in 1980 and retired in 1995.

“Dr. Shang is considered the “father of aquaculture economics” and we are indebted to him for the visionary path he paved in this area,” said PingSun Leung, emeritus professor from the .

“Dr. Shang was a giant in the emerging field of global aquaculture economics and the preeminent authority on the subject in the Pacific Region,” added John Corbin, former program manager of �鶹��ý’s Aquaculture Development Program. “Though his expertise was in great demand by organizations outside of �鶹��ý, he always found the time to work with the State aquaculture program to help us better understand the local costs of production and market dynamics. His unassuming and friendly manner in sharing his extensive knowledge with colleagues and students made him a much sought after advisor and a pleasure to work with on projects.”

Shang published the first textbook in aquaculture economics in 1981. As a pioneer, educator and researcher in this field, he was well-known and well-regarded in �鶹��ý, as well as nationally and internationally. He was highly sought after by international agencies, such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Program and International Development Research Center of Canada.

In 1993, Shang founded the International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management (IAAEM) and served as its president until his retirement. IAAEM is the only international organization devoted entirely to the promotion of socioeconomic research and education in aquaculture. It also publishes its own journal, Aquaculture Economics and Management, which honored Shang’s pioneering work in a .

“I was shocked and sad to receive news of Dr. Shang’s departure a few hours after he passed away in the morning of the Presidential Day,” said Cheng-Sheng Lee, executive director of the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture. “He definitely will be missed by colleagues and friends. As a senior to me from Taiwan, he is my colleague, friend and mentor. He has been a role model to me as well as other researchers. He is soft spoken, calm and a most respectful researcher by many colleagues and students as well. He taught me that ‘Nothing is impossible.’”

Messages to Shang’s family may be sent to his daughter Ellen at eshang@sbcglobal.net.

Improving the reproduction of kampachi (also known as longfin yellowtail or Almaco Jack) and Pacific white shrimp in �鶹��ý is the focus of a University of �鶹��ý at Mānoaʻs (CTAHR), UH (�鶹��ý Sea Grant) and �鶹��ý Pacific University’s (HPU) Oceanic Institute (OI) research partnership.

Nearly $1 million in funding from a (NOAA) Sea Grant will address the key barriers of kampachi production by focusing on improving egg quality, fecundity (ability to produce many offspring) and juvenile development. Nearly $250,000 will fund a second project that will use a genomic approach to improve the reproduction performance of shrimp, including laboratory experiments to assess and improve their genetic traits.

Kampachi are among the most valuable finfish groups for offshore aquaculture development. Yet, they are notoriously difficult to rear and harvest on a large commercial scale. At the same time, despite the shrimp industry’s massive volume and the U.S. being a leader in shrimp genetics research, programs on genetic improvement have given little attention to shrimp egg and larvae production.

“Through an integrated collaboration among university research, extension efforts and industry partners, the results obtained through this proposed work will result in the facilitation and expansion of commercial development of these and related species,” said Andre P. Seale of CTAHR’s and principal investigator of the kampachi study. “By addressing production constraints, this combined HPU and UH effort will contribute to increasing commercial production in �鶹��ý.”

“This is a critical time for aquaculture, food security and our ability to feed humans sustainability around the world,” added Bradley (Kai) Fox of �鶹��ý Sea Grant. “We are very fortunate to be able to collaborate with researchers at OI to push cutting-edge technologies with global relevance forward, while at the same time recognizing, appreciating and learning from our host culture here in �鶹��ý, where aquaculture has been practiced and refined for a thousand years.”

The funding is part of a nearly $14 million federal funding investment by NOAA Sea Grant to select Sea Grant programs around the country, including �鶹��ý Sea Grant, to strengthen U.S. aquaculture.

Equipped with a four-year, $924,280 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (CTAHR) Researcher Cheng-Sheng Lee seeks to find how aquaculture can contribute to food security and what projects could potentially improve �鶹��ý’s international competitiveness in aquaculture.

“Our task is to enhance viable and profitable aquaculture development in �鶹��ý and U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia,” said Lee, executive director of the (CTSA), under the . “First, we’ll work with the industry to identify the bottlenecks for further expansion of food production from our water resources. Then, we’ll identify research teams to tackle the issue and provide solutions to the industry to improve their operations.”

NIFA’s Regional Aquaculture Centers support aquaculture research, development, demonstration and extension education to enhance viable and profitable U.S. aquaculture to benefit consumers, producers, service industries and the American economy.

The CTSA, which is jointly administered by CTAHR and the Oceanic Institute of �鶹��ý Pacific University, supports research and extension activities that develop and transfer new and adapted technology to industry in �鶹��ý and the American Insular Pacific. Each project is reviewed by a panel of experts to ensure its approach is scientifically sound and its results will directly or indirectly enhance economic opportunities for aquaculture producers in the CTSA region.

“We are looking forward to working with our industry and researchers to contribute to our food security and economy in �鶹��ý and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands,” said Lee.

One of the several ways that growth hormone (GH) relates to the growth physiology of teleost fishes (a large group of ray-finned fishes such as tilapia) is that it helps them absorb nutrients. In a new study from the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa’s of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, alumni Cody Petro-Sakuma and Jason Breves, Research Specialist Fritzie Celino-Brady and Associate Researcher Andre Seale investigated the effects of GH on the gene expression of nutrient transporters in Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). The paper appeared in the journal .

The researchers surgically removed the tilapia’s pituitary gland and gave it hormone replacement. Their goal was to assess whether GH directs the gene expression of molecular targets involved in nutrient transport, such as the GH receptor, peptide transporters, an amino acid transporter, glucose transporters and others. The researchers also checked where the effects of GH on the gene expression of these targets showed up in the intestine.

The tilapia without the pituitary showed diminished expression of most of the genes tested, and GH replacement was effective at restoring the expression of GH receptor, the peptide transporters and one of the glucose transporters. The authors’ findings indicate that “GH supports growth, at least in part, by stimulating the gene expression of its cognate receptor and key nutrient transporters in the intestine.” The authors further conclude that the identification of such GH targets may contribute to the development of strategies for enhancing the growth of domesticated fishes.

“Using the tilapia as a model species, the paper shows that the growth-promoting effects of growth hormone also occur via the stimulation of specific nutrient transporters in the intestine,” explained Seale. “Ultimately, beyond furthering our understanding on how growth and metabolism is regulated, there is great interest in improving efficiency in aquaculture, which includes improving nutrient utilization, increasing growth, and reducing feed, operation costs and time to market.”

More than 170 guests, including representatives from 10 Pacific Northwest tribes and many more from across the globe, gathered in Heʻeia, Oʻahu, hosted by local stewardship organizations Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi and Paepae o Heʻeia, to learn about Native Hawaiian aquaculture practices in February. The has been a long-time partner and supporter of the Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa and Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo, the backbone organization that coordinates and facilitates the Hui.

This event was part of an annual gathering of fishpond practitioners from across the Hawaiian Islands through the Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa, a collective of kiaʻi loko (fishpond practitioners) who seek to leverage their shared skills, knowledge and resources to address common goals.

The 2020 Gathering included a full day of restoring the rock wall and learning about the history and function of Heʻeia Fishpond, as well as a visit to the upper forested lands of the Heʻeia ahupuaʻa, the source of the vital freshwater that feeds Heʻeia wetlands, taro patches and the fishpond.

The final day was spent visiting and engaging in collaborative restoration work at several other fishponds around Oʻahu including Waikalua Loko, Loko Ea, Paʻaiau, Kapapapuhi and Pāhonu. Throughout the gathering, participants shared stories and made first-time connections.

As a result of the gathering, cross-Pacific partnerships grew in exponential ways, with new ideas and discoveries shared between students, fisheries managers, biologists and elders from Alaska, �鶹��ý, Oregon, Washington, Canada, New Zealand and beyond.

—By Cindy Knapman

Winning student videos about aquaculture in �鶹��ý were showcased recently at the Aquaculture America 2020 conference at the �鶹��ý Convention Center. The competition inviting high school students from around the state to submit a short video addressing the theme, “�鶹��ý Aquaculture: A Tradition of Navigating with Innovation, Technology, and Culture,” was organized by the (�鶹��ý Sea Grant).

Cash prizes were awarded to the top three videos. First place received $1,000, second place $500 and third place $250.

• First place: Leigh Antoinette Medina, Kayley Lau and Mary-Rose Mitchell from Moanalua High School, “Kualoa’s History of Aquaculture”
• Second place: Jack Vedder from Kaiser High School, “”
• Third place: Lyrah Panarigan from Moanalua High School, “”

Maya Walton, program leader with �鶹��ý Sea Grant and lead organizer of the video competition noted, “This was a great opportunity for high school students to make an impression on a global audience since aquaculture researchers and professionals from across the United States and the world traveled to �鶹��ý to attend the conference.”

The students’ films were showcased at the conference, and scored by a panel of judges comprised of professionals working in various aquaculture-related industries throughout �鶹��ý.

Students were required to compose their videos using only original work, and all genres such as documentary, animation, short interview, historical and others were accepted. The entries could focus on: traditional aquaculture in �鶹��ý; how aquaculture contributes to a sustainable food supply in �鶹��ý; the connection between science and aquaculture; and the importance of indigenous or local knowledge in aquaculture.

Oysters raised at the (PACRC) at the are being used to improve ocean water quality in Māʻalaea Harbor on Maui. The project is headed by .

“Oysters are nature’s most efficient water filters; they eat by pumping large volumes of water through their bodies and in the process, they capture sediment and pollutants from the water column,” said Amy Hodges, programs manager at Maui Nui Marine Resource Council. “Our goal is to use the oyster’s natural filter feeding abilities to make Māʻalaea Bay cleaner and healthier for fishing, swimming, paddling and surfing.”

Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is conducting this project in partnership with , a neighbor island nonprofit.

The first oyster project of this type in �鶹��ý was launched to restore native oysters to actively improve water quality and clarity at locations around the island of Oʻahu.

More than 10,000 oysters produced at the UH Hilo aquaculture center have been out-planted at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the Marine Corps Base at Kāneʻohe Bay, the �鶹��ý Yacht Club and the Waikiki Yacht Club in the Ala Wai Harbor, and most recently at Honolulu Community College’s Marine Education and Training Center at Sand Island.

• Related UH News story: UH Hilo center grows oysters and the aquaculture workforce, March 4, 2018

Hodges explained that the oysters installed in Māʻalaea are Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) which are found throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. After months in the nursery at the university’s aquaculture center, the young oysters are now believed to be large and hardy enough to survive the heavily sedimented waters of Māʻalaea Harbor. The oysters will live in cages below the water surface and away from boat traffic. They were raised triploids, meaning they are sterile and likely unable to reproduce.

UH Hilo center grows oysters and the aquaculture workforce

Native oysters cultured at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo will be used to improve water clarity and quality at Sand Island, Honolulu. At ceremonies in October to launch the project, baskets of oysters were placed in the water at Honolulu Community College’s (METC) and the ’s mooring area.

Students from ‘s marine science classes contributed to the project by measuring and then placing the oysters in the water prior to a ceremonial blessing. Hawaiian prayer, chants and other protocols were also offered.

The oysters filter between 20 and 45 gallons of water per day, depending on their size, removing harmful pollutants including sediment, bacteria, heavy metals, PCBs (a group of toxic, man-made chemicals), oil, microplastics, sunscreen chemicals and nutrients from the water column, which improves water clarity and quality. This is the sixth Oʻahu location utilizing native oysters for water quality improvement.

“We also have [oysters] in Hilo Bay, which was the first place in �鶹��ý where this was attempted starting in 2011,” said Maria Haws, director of the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resource Center. “All of these are pilot efforts to obtain more data on growth and survival. The results have been good so far, so we’ll be expanding from 10,000 now out in the field to a total of 14,000 next month. Maui also has a site where we will use triploid Pacific Oysters with outplanting in December.”

• Related UH News story: UH Hilo center grows oysters and the aquaculture workforce, March 4, 2018

The oyster project to improve water quality at the METC was created through a collaborative partnership of UH Hilo, the and the Polynesian Voyaging Society. The partners hope to encourage bio-remediation of the area’s waters and also to develop an educational program supporting these efforts. It was inspired by the in New York Harbor, which ’s crew visited when the canoe sailed to New York City in 2016.

UH Hilo center grows oysters and the aquaculture workforce

—By Susan Enright

The University of �鶹��ý (�鶹��ý Sea Grant) received nearly $1.4 million to establish a new aquaculture-focused collaborative program in �鶹��ý and the Pacific region and explore new aquaculture opportunities.

To fully integrate aquaculture research, outreach and education in �鶹��ý and the Pacific region, �鶹��ý Sea Grant and its partners were awarded nearly $1.2 million to revitalize, solidify, and expand an aquaculture-focused, collaborative program that will be socially, geographically, and economically inclusive.

Darren Lerner, �鶹��ý Sea Grant director and principal investigator, said “This funding will assist in creating a hub which fully integrates research, extension, and education services directed towards supporting the continued development and enhancement of indigenous aquaculture practices and the aquaculture industry in �鶹��ý and the Pacific.”

�鶹��ý Sea Grant was among several Sea Grant programs around the country to receive funding from the (NOAA). The 42 funded projects will help spur the development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the U.S.

“These investments will help advance U.S. aquaculture in sustainable, thoughtful ways using the best science and talent across the country,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of the .

Exploring potential new aquaculture industries

�鶹��ý Sea Grant was also the recipient of two additional grants totaling $200,000. One project, titled “Culture of Native Bivalve Species to Expand Mariculture Opportunities and Improve Coastal Environments,” will develop hatchery and nursery methods for selected bivalve species such as the black-lip pearl oyster and other saltwater clams in �鶹��ý and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands.

The other project titled “Exploring the Potential for Sustainable Capture-Based Aquaculture of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus spp.) in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia,” aims to test the feasibility of growing wild spiny lobster to form a new aquaculture industry in the Western Pacific.

For more on the grants, go to the .

—By Cindy Knapman

The (PACRC) at the is working with the U.S. Navy and Oʻahu Waterkeeper to use native species of shellfish to improve water clarity and quality in the Pearl Harbor estuary.

The partnership is the first large-scale effort to use native shellfish species for harbor water quality improvement, modeled on research trials by the UH Hilo aquaculture center with the native Hawaiian oyster species in Hilo Bay.

The partnership plans to use two species of oyster native to Pearl Harbor—Dendostrea sandvicensis (Hawaiian oyster) and Pinctada margaritifera (black-lip pearl oyster).

“We are developing hatchery production methods for native bivalve species, in part because many local species have become rare and may possibly require protection,” said Maria Haws, associate professor of aquaculture and PACRC director. “For example, the black-lip pearl oyster is already a protected species under state law.”

Oysters serve as a filter

Native oysters filter between 20 and 45 gallons of water per day, depending on their size, removing harmful pollutants including sediment, bacteria, heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), oil, microplastics, sunscreen chemicals and nutrients from the water column, which improves water clarity and quality.

Oysters also remove carbon from the water and use it to build their shells, underscoring their importance in our changing climate and marine environment.

The project builds on a successful feasibility study conducted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources, utilizing a nonnative species, Crassostrea gigas (Pacific oyster), as a tool to improve clarity and quality of waters within Pearl Harbor.

While the Pacific oyster survives and grows well in Pearl Harbor, and it may continue to be used for bioremediation, the new project will focus on native shellfish species because of their deep cultural significance. Researchers hope to replenish and restore these native species to the marine ecosystem.

For more on the Pearl Harbor project, .

—From UH Hilo Stories

The University of �鶹��ý and state agencies formed a partnership to raise �鶹��ý’s global visibility in marine aquaculture and to capitalize on the commercial opportunities available worldwide. The partners are the (HSDC), University of �鶹��ý, UH Ventures, LLC and (NELHA).

“The establishment of a �鶹��ý aquaculture accelerator and a related investment fund is an effort to demonstrate the state’s commitment to developing �鶹��ý’s commercial aquaculture industry and to focus entrepreneur and investor interest on �鶹��ý as a location for globally relevant aquaculture companies,” said HSDC President Karl Fooks. “The initiative will also be focused on attracting investor capital and a follow-on fund for aquaculture in �鶹��ý to develop technical and intellectual property that can benefit a global industry.”

According to UH Vice President for Research and Innovation , the initiative will provide proof-of-concept and commercialization services to start-ups in �鶹��ý’s aquaculture cluster. “It is critical that we work together to promote innovation as a new economic growth engine that will spark new industry technologies, maintain our competitiveness and generate new high-wage job opportunities for our students,” said Syrmos. “The project will build upon our existing regional strengths in aquaculture research, including programs at UH Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, UH Hilo’s Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center and the UH Sea Grant College Program, which have been focused on advancing long-term sustainable use and conservation of coastal areas worldwide through aquaculture and resource management for many years.”

The partnership seeks to create a facility and program at NELHA, using the world-class facilities to attract entrepreneurs in startups, help them get into the market and find a commercial space for their project.

“We will continue to pursue strategic relationships such as this to allow NELHA to maintain its competitive advantage and make available to the global aquaculture community an asset found only in very few places around the world,” said NELHA Executive Director Gregory Barbour. “The effort will focus on launching and scaling startups in the developing cluster of aquaculture companies operating in �鶹��ý that service global markets, develop new cultured species, pioneer new feed sources and the technologies needed to support open ocean and land-based aquaculture.”

The partnership is also receiving guidance and advice from key representatives, including the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness Development Corporation, �鶹��ý Technology Development Corporation and Ulupono Initiative.

The has received nearly $1 million for aquaculture research in support of food security research, education and outreach in the state.

, director of �鶹��ý Sea Grant’s Center of Excellence in Sustainable and Coastal Resources and director of ‘s , received $182,955 for her project, “Increasing Opportunities for Aquaculture of High Value Marine Fish in �鶹��ý.” It will develop improved culture methods for the native marine fish species Pacific Threadfin, known locally as moi, in land-based systems.

“Moi is a popular fish in �鶹��ý and has cultural value as well,” said Haws. “Our hope is to make moi fingerlings and extension support available to local stakeholders to help overcome some of the barriers that have impeded mariculture for decades, which will help create a local supply of fresh, sustainable seafood and create jobs.”

• Related UH News: UH Hilo center grows oysters and the aquaculture workforce, March 4, 2018

, assistant professor in the at the (CTAHR), received $749,815 for his project, “Integrating Land and Sea Grant Aquaculture Research, Extension and Education at the University of �鶹��ý.” It aims to establish an aquaculture program at that leverages and integrates land and sea grant research, extension and education resources. CTAHR‘s Seale and are partnering with and of �鶹��ý Sea Grant.

“We intend to leverage a state-of-the-art recirculating aquaculture facility to address research, education and extension capacity needs of university students, industry producers and the public,” said Seale. “We also plan to develop a research program related to the aquaculture production of finfish, and an outreach program that will disseminate industry driven research information to producers and end-users.”

�鶹��ý Sea Grant is among several national Sea Grant programs to receive funding from the (NOAA) to address specific priorities of the 2018 Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative. The 22 funded projects total $11 million in federal grants, and will help spur development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the U.S.

For a full list and short descriptions of the 22 grant projects, visit the .

—By Cindy Knapman

A Mokauea fishpond research project received a $116,381 grant. Associate Professor Esther Widiasih will research the workings of the Mokauea fishponds to gain insights into traditional Native Hawaiian sustainable aquaculture practices, viewed through contemporary scientific and mathematical lenses.

The research will utilize tools from statistics and applied mathematics while integrating ancient knowledge from Native Hawaiian cultural and fishpond practitioners.

Widiasih will be collecting water quality data and flow pattern of the fishpond to develop a mathematical model that captures the dynamics of key physical parameters and the fishpond circulation patterns. The investigation will include the development of a website to host and manage data collected along with other available data and studies on the Mokauea fishpond and its surrounding areas.

was set up to preserve Mokauea Island and the surrounding fishery as a traditional Hawaiian fishing village. UH West Oʻahu’s involvement with Mokauea Island dates back several years and includes field studies during Ethnomathematics Summer Institutes.

For more on the grant, read the full story at .

—By Greg Wiles

Tanks full of ornamental fish and oysters are bubbling on the Big Island at the University of �鶹��ý at Hilo . Here, hundreds of students have gained valuable hands-on experience at the nine-acre center in Keaukaha, developing aquaponics and raising ornamental and food fish, shellfish and algae throughout the year.

UH Hilo Associate Professor Maria Haws serves as the center’s director. She says about 400 students have been employed since workforce training started there in 2008.

“We (also) have interns and volunteers and research students. They’ve learned everything about aquaculture production, everything from the hatchery, where we might produce juvenile fish or juvenile oysters, everything up to the actual farming of these organisms,” says Haws.

has the only four-year in the state, and the center has the only facility dedicated to aquaculture and coastal management education, research and outreach to the community and industry.

“I get to do a lot with fish and fish rearing systems so I get that hands-on knowledge that I wouldn’t get if I was just sitting in a classroom,” says Orion Friels, a sophomore majoring in aquaculture. “I feel like I’m learning a lot more this way.”

Hope Helg earned her agroecology degree from UH Hilo in 2011. Today she manages the algae laboratory that feeds oysters and other marine organisms at the center.

Helg says working at the center as a student prepared her and others well. “It’s a good way of critical thinking and being creative, and it sets students up for the future in the real world,” she said.

Besides training the workforce and researchers of tomorrow, the UH Hilo center is helping to develop sustainable seafood production.

“We import 80 percent of our seafood in �鶹��ý. What could be more important than trying to be more self-reliant in food and also conservation?” asks Haws. “Almost everything we do in aquaculture has a tie to conservation if not directly influencing conservation efforts.”

The center’s work is gaining national recognition. It is a partner with as a Center of Excellence for Sustainable Aquaculture and received National Sea Grant funding for oyster farming in Hilo Bay.

—By Kelli Trifonovitch

The University of �鶹��ý  received $149,972 to develop new opportunities in shellfish farming for �鶹��ý and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands. It was among 18 Sea Grant programs around the country to receive funding from NOAA Sea Grant to advance the development of a sustainable marine and coastal aquaculture industry in the United States.

The 32 projects were funded a total of $9.3 million in federal grants, and will help spur the development and growth of shellfish, finfish and seaweed aquaculture businesses throughout the nation.

Maria Haws, director of the at the , is leading the project. “It is well known that mariculture has tremendous potential to help �鶹��ý become more self-sufficient in seafood, which would be very beneficial to our local residents,” she said. “However, opportunities to establish small farms are very limited compared to those on the mainland due to strict regulations and the high cost of starting a farm.”

Haws went on to explain how the project would help the state address this issue. “To lower barriers to oyster farming in nearshore waters, we will assess the feasibility of forming a cooperative or other employee-owned corporation,” she said. “A group of local individuals and small businesses will work with us to test this concept. In addition, we are working on developing land-based mariculture systems that could also be operated by community members or small businesses.”

Although the pilot project is based in Hilo, the results from the study will be instrumental in helping other island communities throughout the state to develop similar businesses.

Nationwide, all of the projects include public-private partnerships and will be led by university-based Sea Grant programs. With each project, every two federal dollars of funding is matched by non-federal funds, bringing the total investment in these research projects to $13.9 million.

—By Cindy Knapman