Aquaponics: addressing marine concerns, sparking career interest
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), doubling aquaculture in the United States could create over 50,000 jobs and a billion dollar industry. Environmental science professor Dr. Mark Green鈥檚 class MS 360鈥揂quaculture: Science and Methods might help to make that happen.
鈥淭he wild-caught seafood industry is struggling,鈥� says Green. 鈥淢any of the fish stocks are being harvested at an unsustainable rate and are literally disappearing from the ocean.鈥�
In MS 360, students maintained a variation of an aquaponics system鈥攁 combination of both aquaculture (raising aquatic organisms in a controlled environment) and hydroponics (growing plants in water). A large, plastic fish tank housed the aquatic organisms鈥攖ilapia in MS 360鈥檚 case. A marine pump circulated water from the tank to trays of leafy greens. The water filtered through the plants until it eventually returned, clean and filtered, to the fish tank.
The benefits of the project are two-fold, says senior environmental science major Shradha Miller 鈥�14. 鈥淭he fish waste provides nutrients, mainly nitrogen, to the plants that help them grow. And the plants maintain a healthy water quality balance for the tilapia.鈥�
NOAA reports that 91 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States originates abroad鈥攈alf of which is from aquaculture. As a result of imported seafood, the U.S. seafood trade deficit is currently valued at $11.2 billion.
鈥淭here鈥檚 opportunity for tremendous growth in the aquaculture industry,鈥� says Green. 鈥淚鈥檓 a big proponent of sustainable aquaculture.鈥�
Students are getting the hands-on experience they need to both understand and operate an aquaculture operation. Some, like Miller, are even considering going into aquaculture professionally.
鈥淚鈥檓 thinking about starting an aquaculture business some point after graduation,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 highly sustainable, takes stress off wild stocks, and produces a super fresh product. Not to mention how lucrative it can be if done properly.鈥�
