The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) harvested its first fish from an aquaculture project studying the feasibility of raising finfish to marketable size.
Researchers at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab placed a fish pen off the coast of Fort Morgan last year after waiting for permits and agreements. The project, which was funded during former U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s tenure, was revived in the Gulf of America with a protected species agreement from NOAA, although the delays caused some issues.
Marine biologist Ashley McDonald is heading up the study. The group harvested its first batch of redfish to move them to shore during hurricane season.
“This project is intended for more localized, small-form aquaculture,” McDonald said. “It would be more individually owned and operated. It’s not one of these big, massive aquaculture projects, the idea being that we wanted to incorporate local native species with intrinsic market value for Gulf species locally. We wanted to provide an avenue for smaller commercial harvesters that might be looking into branching out into aquaculture or subsidizing any of their commercial revenue and doing it in a way that it doesn’t feel like it’s competing with commercial harvest.”
The team hopes to provide the public with an additional protein source. The fish are raised alongside other species, such as oysters and seaweed.
“We are using three species that we are growing out,” McDonald said. “We have our finfish, which is red drum. We also have hanging baskets with oysters and macro algae, a type of seaweed. They are all native species. Their genetic component is local to Mobile Bay, so these are local, homegrown animals.
“The idea for the oysters and seaweed (graceful red weed) is they are going to take up and absorb the particulate organic matter and inorganic matter, like dissolved nitrogen and nutrients,” she continued. “They also become a secondary product for the farmer to take to market. Right now, the seaweed is one we really don’t have a market for. Seaweed farming is new. It’s taking off, but it hasn’t quite found its market yet.”
While the first fish were not the desired size due to delays, at least one of the fish bays contains approximately 3,000 redfish. The group is harvesting the fish at about 1 pound and 14 inches.
“We really don’t know what our market is yet. What we’re doing this year is off plan because they are small. The original idea was to get them to one kilo, 2.2 pounds, but that didn’t happen,” McDonald added.
The fish will be distributed to local markets at no charge in exchange for sales information.
The ADCNR’s State Lands Division permitted the project, along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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