Controlled Breeding
Controlled breeding uses photothermal and hormonal manipulation to control gametogenesis and spawning both in- and outside of the natural breeding season for year round production of fry.
Current research includes the development of improved strains through interspecific hybridization and chromosome manipulation (e.g. gynogenesis) and to produce faster-growing monosex female populations, biochemical analyses of egg phosphorus and fatty acid composition as determinants of quality, and the effects of broodstock nutrition on egg quality as a basis for husbandry practices that generate healthier fry.
Marine fish embryos and larvae produced at UNCW are shipped to other laboratories for ecotoxicological research.
Larval Culture
Larviculture research aims to understand the environmental and nutritional requirements of the larvae through the juvenile stages under intensive culture.
Optimal combinations of salinity, temperature, illumination (light intensity and photoperiod), turbulence, prey type and density, tank configuration, and methods for live feeds enrichment and for weaning from live to prepared feeds are determined through controlled, experimental studies.
More efficient technologies for producing planktonic organisms as live feeds for marine finfish larvae are also being developed.
Juvenile Growout in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems
Research on juvenile growout in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) aims to understand the environmental and nutritional requirements of juveniles through the marketable stages in land-based RAS. RAS, which use water over and over again by removing wastes from the water and supplying oxygen to the fish, mitigate space and water conflicts and problems of effluent discharge.
In addition to laboratory scale studies, fish production trials are conducted under near commercial scale conditions in state-of-the-art RAS to evaluate system design and operation as well as fish performance.
Effluent Management
Effluent Management includes the integration of intensive marine finfish culture with the nursery culture of marine bivalve mollusks to reduce the nutrient composition of RAS effluent and to develop efficient techniques for producing bivalves for stock enhancement and habitat restoration projects.
Converting expensive nitrogen and solid waste into a valuable product will increase overall profit for the farmer, while reducing environmental pollution.
Research focuses on RAS effluent-based culture of Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica and wild phytoplankton in polyculture with the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. Geotextile fabric tube (Geotube) technology is being evaluated to remove solid wastes from marine finfish RAS effluent, while salt-tolerant marsh plant such as Salicornia virginica are used to biomitigate dissolved nutrients from the Geotube filtrate before release to the environment or reuse in the RAS.
Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) where wastes from fish are used as fertilizer for other valuable crops can reduce economic losses due to underutilization of feed and increase profitability of RAS mariculture for the farmer.
Economics & Marketing
Fish from pilot production trials are sold to wholesale and retail establishments on the eastern US seaboard to identify high-value niche markets and to determine premium market demand (price-quantity relationships) for cultured product.
Based on these data, profitability of commercial-scale marine finfish aquaculture using RAS technology is evaluated and economic models developed to identify critical areas for research and to aid potential investors.
If warranted, commercial demonstration ("learn by doing") projects are implemented in direct cooperation with selected commercial practitioners to provide a firm technical and marketing foundation for expanded commercial production.
