Shellfish Research Hatchery

The Shellfish Research Hatchery (SRH) is a ~12,000 ft, state-of-the-art facility for the propagation of the early life stages of marine bivalves. The SRH was constructed in partnership with, and using state funds allocated to, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries following recommendations resulting from a 2-year study by a multi-agency planning committee established through legislation by the NC General Assembly. The SRH has been in year-round operations since early 2011.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure includes a microalgal culture facility designed to produce ~4,000L/day and a seawater system capable of delivering 100GPM of filtered and temperature-controlled seawater. Additional resources include wet and dry support labs, a quarantine hatchery for work on non-local species and a ~2-acre aquaculture demonstration site for research on grow-out strategies.

Current Projects

Current projects involve the selective breeding of oysters, research on the performance advantages derived from triploidy, and crop diversification through the development of culture practices for bay scallops, pen shells and sunray Venus clams.

One of the goals of UNCW's Shellfish Research Hatchery (SRH) is to provide professional expertise and technical support to address important issues confronting NC's shellfish resources. In agreement with our mission statement, we establish outreach opportunities by communication with resource agencies, farmers, individuals in the industry and the public. Through collaboration with shellfish farmers throughout the state, we are able to field test hatchery lines to fully explore performance under a range of environmental conditions.

Student applied learning plays a large role in the hatchery with many UNCW undergraduates spending a semester learning all aspects of hatchery operations. Local high school students from Eugene Ashley High School's marine science academy have served as interns in the hatchery as well.