The University of Southern Mississippi is partnering in a new national effort to grow and strengthen America’s seafood supply through aquaculture research as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM), led by the University of New Hampshire (UNH).
With approximately $13.5 million in initial funding, CIFARM will support research and partnerships that will make it safer, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective to produce seafood domestically.
“USM is honored to be part of this extraordinary group of people and institutions, and we thank NOAA for its trust in us to bring return on its investment,” said Reginald B. Blaylock, Ph.D., research professor and director of the Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center at Southern Miss. “We are committed to harnessing the research in government, colleges and universities, innovation in industry, and the culture and resilience of coastal communities to ensure a safe, sustainable and abundant supply of seafood for American families.”
UNH, which has a long history of innovation in the farming of aquatic species, was selected to oversee the first-of-its-kind NOAA Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets.
“The United States has unrivalled infrastructure to be a leader in seafood production with responsible aquaculture,” said David Fredriksson, director of UNH’s Center for Sustainable Seafood Systems. “We want to be thoughtful and proceed in partnership with communities to produce seafood that fits the wide range of ecosystems, cultures and economies for each region. The goal is to expand markets, build working waterfront capabilities, and grow an educational structure for seafood economic growth and marine resource stewardship on a national scale.”
The new five-year Cooperative Institute will harness partnerships with researchers and focus on solving real-world challenges that affect both seafood producers and consumers. Researchers will develop new cutting-edge technologies to improve fish farming and other forms of aquaculture, use artificial intelligence to optimize operations, advance aquaculture through demonstration farms, and study ocean conditions to better predict and protect seafood harvests. They will also test offshore farming systems and analyze seafood markets to help bring products to consumers more efficiently.
UNH will lead a broad national network of partners in addition to The University of Southern Mississippi, including New Hampshire Sea Grant, the University of Miami, Florida Sea Grant, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, California Sea Grant, the University of Hawaii and Hawaii Sea Grant.
NOAA leaders emphasized that expanding U.S. aquaculture is key to building a more resilient food system.
“The United States is finally recognizing aquaculture as a vital complement to our world-class fisheries,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “We look forward to collaborating with these exemplary partners to continue to unlock the potential of this industry in the United States.”
At its core, this initiative is about putting more high-quality, sustainably produced seafood on American plates — and reducing the nation’s heavy reliance on imports. Today, Americans consume more than $24 billion worth of seafood each year, about half of which is farmed overseas. The new Cooperative Institute is designed to help change that and, for consumers, means more reliable access to fresh, healthy seafood and greater confidence in how it is produced. CIFARM will deliver benefits to coastal communities and consumers and offer new opportunities such as jobs and economic growth in this rapidly evolving industry.