Research

Open-Water Fish Farming in the Keys?

Published on December 19, 2009 - Fact Sheets: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are federal bodies that make decisions about fish in U.S. waters. In September 2009, despite receiving thousands of letters opposing fish farming in Gulf waters, NMFS allowed a plan approved by the Gulf Council to permit open-water fish farming to go into effect. This industrial form of fish production is sometimes called “open-ocean aquaculture,” “ocean fish farming” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it can cause serious problems for coastal and fishing communities and our waters.

Water Usage in Recirculating Aquaculture/Aquaponic Systems

Published on December 15, 2009 - Fact Sheets: Clean water is a precious resource to be wisely utilized and conserved. Irrigation claims 70 percent of the water that we use. The excess water leaving industrial farms is often contaminated with silt, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, making it unfit for reuse.

Commercial Facility Based on the University of the Virgin Island's Aquaponic System

Published on December 15, 2009 - Fact Sheets: Since the 1980s, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Agricultural Experiment Station in St. Croix has been conducting research on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Much of the UVI research is conducted using a commercial-size RAS that incorporates aquaponics. Aquaponics is the practice of growing herbs and vegetables in water from a RAS system that has fish growing ina connected tank. Through years of research, the staff at UVI has established an aquaponics RAS that is made of easily procured material and is simple and efficient to run. Using an eighth of an acre for production, the staff raises fish and produce that is sold at a farm store located on campus. The system includes four fish tanks, six hydroponic tanks and filtration tanks to support good water quality and growth for both the fish and plants.

Ocean Fish Farming

Published on December 11, 2009 - Fact Sheets: Also called open ocean aquaculture or offshore aquaculture, it is the practice of growing finfish in huge, often over,crowded cages out in open ocean waters. Before any regional or federal plan for ocean fish farming moves forward, we need to better understand how these intensive fish farms affect human health, the economies of local fishing communities, wild fish populations, marine mammals, endangered species, birds, and essential fish habitat.

Disasters in Ocean Aquaculture

Published on December 04, 2009 - Fact Sheets: Ocean aquaculture, the mass production of fish in enormous, floating pens or cages in the sea, has been largely an unmitigated disaster in the countries where it has been practiced commercially. Expanding this dirty, costly industry in the United States could harm consumers, fishermen and the marine environment. Here‚ why.