The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) have launched the next phase of the Aquaculture Advanced Seed Production Training Program. Beginning July 12, participants will spawn oysters using a mobile hatchery. This phase will also include activities related to larval culture, setting pediveligers and grading seed.
The program offers 100 hours of free advanced hatchery training for Mississippi’s oyster farmers and aquaculture professionals. Designed to support the expansion of off-bottom oyster aquaculture in the state, the program focuses on developing technical skills in water quality management, broodstock conditioning, larval care, seed production and hatchery operations.
“This partnership with USM is a major step forward in supporting and strengthening Mississippi’s oyster industry,” said MDMR Executive Director Joe Spraggins. “Entering this next phase with the mobile hatchery will help participants build on the long-term success of the program and helps ensure a more sustainable future for the seafood industry.”
Southern Miss provides technical training through place-based innovation to help current members of the workforce expand economic opportunities in the seafood industry and the broader Blue Economy. Dr. Reginald Blaylock, TCMAC director, is a strong proponent for economic growth along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
“USM is happy to work with MDMR and the state to create new opportunities in the seafood industry to ensure that the legacy of the seafood industry on the coast lives on in posterity,” said Blaylock.
Participants have already completed classroom instruction and operations-based learning located on TCMAC’s campus. With the mobile hatchery now operational, the program will shift into full production mode, applying practical skills to real-world seed production that will benefit aquaculture operations statewide.
This initiative supports Mississippi’s long-term goal of building local hatchery capacity, reducing dependence on out-of-state seed suppliers and strengthening the state’s commercial oyster farming industry. Two production runs are scheduled for 2025, with spawning events planned in July and September.