January 7, 2008

NOAA-NIST Sponsored Workshop

NOAA-NIST will sponsor a workshop titled “Enhancing Competitiveness of Sustainable Marine Aquaculture in the United States: Addressing Measurement Barriers to Technological Innovation.” The workshop is scheduled for February 13-14 immediately after the Aquaculture America 2008 conference in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

The workshop will focus on identification and review of measurement barriers that represent constraints to technology innovation. The goal of the 1½ day workshop will be to establish priorities for short, medium and long term research and development efforts to support commercialization of promising sustainable marine aquaculture technologies in the United States.

The targeted systems technologies are:

Land-based Production of Marine Shrimp

Dr. Craig L. Browdy – SCDNR Marine Resources Research Institute

Land-based Production of Marine Finfish

Dr. Yonathan Zohar – UMBI Center of Marine Biotechnology

Coastal Shellfish Production

Dr. Daniel Cheney – Pacific Shellfish Institute

Cage Production of Marine Finfish

Dr. Richard Langan – University of New Hampshire

The workshop will begin with four keynote talks providing background on draft technology roadmaps for targeted systems developed by working groups consisting of industry, NGO, government and academic representatives. Breakout groups will then explore each area, identifying technology gaps and measurement needs in terms of short, medium and long term opportunities over a broad range of cross-cutting areas including:

-species selection, brood stock development, and genetic improvement

-hatchery, fingerling and adult husbandry

-nutrition, feeds, growth, and product quality

-disease diagnostics and health management

-production system design and engineering

-environmental standards and waste management

-harvesting and processing

-economics and marketing

A proceedings and white paper will summarize workshop input and identify priority areas for future research and development, policy advancements and potential funding initiatives. The workshop is open to representatives of the general public; commercial aquaculture and suppliers; the academic community; government; and non-governmental organizations.

Refer to the attached flyer for information on registering and contributing to this planned event. There is limited space so register soon if you wish to participate.