Center for Sustainable Seafood Systems team members have been coordinating and participating in a year-long Aquaculture Leadership Academy led by New Hampshire Sea Grant and North Carolina Sea Grant. The academy brings together Sea Grant and Extension professionals from across the National Sea Grant network to share ideas, learn from each other, and build collaborative relationships within the field of aquaculture.
In addition to online engagement through the Aquaculture Information Exchange, up to 25 participants gathered in New Hampshire in April 2024 to meet in person and exchange knowledge. The week-long gathering in New Hampshire included a number of guest speakers discussing a diverse range of aquaculture topics and field trips to a number of New England based aquaculture partners. Field trips included:
- Judd Gregg Marine Research Complex, a research center for UNH coastal and lab-based aquaculture projects
- Bangs Island Mussels’ processing facility, where Maine grown mussels are prepared for the market
- Great Falls Aquaculture, a recirculating aquaculture facility specializing in barramundi
In October 2024, participants met in North Carolina to continue cohort building and following an agenda full of exciting speakers and site visits. This second location allowed Academy participants to better understand the regional aspects of aquaculture in the Southeast. Field sites visited in North Carolina included:
- Sandbar Oyster Company, a model oyster lease for restorative aquaculture
- Pamlico Packing, a seafood processor and provider
- NCSU Pamlico Aquaculture Field Lab, a research complex providing genetic research on domesticated striped bass
For more information and to participate in future cohorts for Sea Grant and Extension members:
