National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center, Maine

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The National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) in Franklin, Maine dedicated its new facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 27, 2008. The Freshwater Institute’s Engineering Services provided design and construction phase support for the aquaculture systems in this new $22.7 million facility.

The Governor of Maine, John Baldacci, U.S. House of Representative Michael Michaud, Edward Knipling, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service Administrator, Robert Kennedy, President of the University of Maine and other dignitaries were present to call attention to the importance of the new facility for the future of aquaculture in Maine.

Summary

Established by the USDA ARS, the focus of this new center is to develop technologies which will improve the efficiency and sustainability of cold water marine aquaculture and ensure safe abundant seafood for US consumers.

Challenge

Wild Atlantic salmon stocks are now listed as endangered and the aquaculture industry is integral to meeting the public’s demand for Atlantic salmon products. US salmon farmers are relying on research from the new NCWMAC facilities to assist them in becoming more competitive in the global marketplace.

Solution

The fish production systems that the Freshwater Institute designed for the NCWMAC readily met the intended program objectives. The Franklin location has limited ground water. The Freshwater Institute therefore developed systems that treat and reuse over 98% of the water flow necessary to culture the relatively large number of salmon required for the research program. In addition, evaluation of the facility’s effluent treatment system demonstrates far superior waste capture than traditional flow-through fish culture systems. The use of groundwater, reuse culture technologies, and effective biosecurity protocols have all contributed to fish health certification of the facility and its fish stocks; no pathogens have been reported in any fish health examinations, and antibiotic use has not been required. Barriers were designed and installed to prevent the escape of fish or fish pathogens. Additionally, water temperature in the fish culture systems are maintained by passive heating or cooling, which conserves energy and eliminates the need for an expensive supplemental heating or cooling.