Friday, January 29, 2021

Two research projects based at UNCW are the only two from the state selected for a share of $4.7 million in federal funding for aquaculture projects. Twelve projects from across the nation were selected for the 2021 Sea Grant funding opportunity to support work addressing the economic and market needs of the U.S. aquaculture industry.

A total of $120,452 was awarded to UNCW faculty members Wade Watanabe, Christopher Dumas, Md Shah Alam and Patrick Carroll; Frank López with North Carolina Sea Grant; and partners, for “Production Economic Analysis of Market Stage Black Sea Bass in a Recirculating Aquaculture System: Impacts of Improved Fingerling Prices, More Sustainable Feeds, and Faster Growth from Selective Breeding.”

A total of $205,611 was awarded to UNCW faculty members Troy Alphin and Martin Posey; Diane Durance, director of the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Frank López and Eric Herbst of North Carolina Sea Grant; and partners, for “Developing Farm and Market Tools for Shellfish Mariculture in North Carolina.”

“It’s quite significant to receive support from the NOAA Sea Grant program for these two research and innovation projects,” said Stuart R. Borrett, associate provost for research and innovation and professor in the Department of Biology and Marine Biology. “It reflects UNCW’s overall strength in coastal and marine science, as well as the depth of contributions we are making to support and grow the ‘blue economy.’”

For additional details and photos, see the full announcement from NC Sea Grant.

-- Caroline Cropp

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