Aquaculture in the Northeast Region

Juvenile Oysters are small enough to hold many of them
in your hand at this stage of culture. In another year these
will be large enough to serve.
(Credit: David Alves)

An open air Aquaculture Classroom. Aquaculture lends itself to teaching many subjects, biology, business, chemistry, etc. This class is learning about aquaculture in a RI Salt pond.
(Credit: David Alves)

The Northeast region has a small but vibrant commercial marine aquaculture industry supported by a world class research and technology sector. Over 65 species are farmed in the region, which encompasses states from Maine to Virginia. Farmed species in the Northeast include fish and shellfish farmed as food for human consumption as well as hatchery-raised species used for enhancement – to support important commercial and recreational fisheries in the region or for habitat and endangered species restoration. The list of cultured species is long and varied, including shellfish and other invertebrates, finfish and other vertebrates and aquatic plants.

Shellfish Aquaculture Supports Working Waterfronts (2012) - For centuries, Gloucester, Massachusetts has been one of the nation's top fishing ports, read how the NMFS Aquaculture program is working to keep Gloucester's working waterfront viable.

2009 Site Visit Summary -- During 2009 the aquaculture program in the Northeast region conducted site visits to the coastal states within the region. This link will take you to a summary report of these visits.

The list of cultured species is long and varied, including shellfish and other invertebrates, finfish and other vertebrates and aquatic plants.

• American shad (Alosa sapidissima)
• Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
• Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)
• Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus)
• Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
• Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)
• Bay scallop (Argopecten irradians)
• Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
• Black sea bass (Centropristis striata)
• Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)
• Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)
• Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
• Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)
• Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
• Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
• Brown trout (Salmo trutta)
• Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
• Cinnamon clownfish (Amphiprion melanopus)
• Clarkii clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)
• Clownfish (Premnas sp.)
• Cobia (Rachycentron canadum)
• Comet (Carassius auratus)
• Common seahorse (Hippocampus kuda)
• Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
• Discus (Symphysodon spp.)
• Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)
• Emerald shiners (Notropis atherinoides)
• Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
• Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
• Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
• Sunrise dottyback (Pseudochromis flevivertex)
• Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
• Tilapia (Oreocromis sp. & Sarotherodon sp.)
• Tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus)
• Triploid grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

• Golden trout (Oncorhynchus aguabonita)
• Green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus)
• Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)
• Hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis x M.)
• Koi (Cyprinus carpio)
• Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
• Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus)
• Neon dottyback (Pseudochromis aldabraensis)
• Nori seaweed (Porphyra sp.)
• Northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria)
• Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
• Orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani)
• Pennaeid shrimp (Penaeids)
• Percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
• Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)
• Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)
• Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
• Red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkia)
• Sandworms (Nereis virens)
• Sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus)
• Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
• Soft corals (Alcyonacea sp.)
• Softshell clam (Mya arenaria)
• Splendid dottyback (Pseudochromis splendens)
• Striped bass (Morone saxatilis)
• Various aquatic plants cultured for shoreline
• Various ornamental fish (freshwater and marine)
• Various turtle species (Chelydridae)
• White sucker (Catostomus commersoni)
• Winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes
• Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)