Study to look into role of RAS in addressing US seafood deficit

Could Atlantic salmon farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) help narrow down the United States’ growing seafood trade deficit? This is one of the many questions that an initiative launched in September aims to address.

Called the National Coordinated Recirculating Aquaculture System Network, the initiative has received $1.2 million in funding from NOAA’s National Sea Grant Office.

It aims to develop a “roadmap” for policymakers and federal agencies in promoting an economically feasible and environmentally sustainable land-based domestic aquaculture industry.

Maryland Sea Grant and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, are lead partners in the initiative. Industry collaborators, which matched the fund from NOAA, include Superior Fresh in Wisconsin, Whole Oceans and Nordic Aquafarms in Maine, and American Salmon in Maryland.