Marine Finfish Aquaculture: Juvenile Production Technologies

Important Dates

Informational Webinar: October 15, 2021 at 2 pm ET (See here for Q&A).

Notices to Submit due: November 9, 2021 at 5 PM. Submit to oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov AND jlachance@mdsg.umd.edu.

Materials due to Maryland Sea Grant: January 13, 2022 

Federal Proposal deadline: January 27, 2022

All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program. Please reach out to us early to learn about how to submit through Maryland Sea Grant and our eSeaGrant portal.

Summary

Subject to the availability of funding, Sea Grant anticipates approximately $5,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will significantly advance marine finfish juvenile production technologies for aquaculture. Sea Grant expects to fund approximately 5-10 projects for up to three years, with a maximum request of $1,000,000 in federal funds. The overall goal is to develop and refine reproduction/broodstock, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies enabling the reliable production of sufficient quantities of juvenile marine finfish to supply on-growing operations. Successful proposals will address topical needs (described below) and integrate research and extension. Proposals are sought that will support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to marine finfish juvenile production technologies; make that information available to U.S. aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and preferably industry stakeholders. These investments are consistent with Sea Grant’s focus area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (SFA) and the Sea Grant Network’s 10-year Aquaculture Vision, both which support NOAA and Department of Commerce aquaculture goals. Proposals must include funding (Federal or match) for Sea Grant extension personnel as collaborators. Industry stakeholder participation/involvement in projects is strongly encouraged.

Competition Goal and Focus

This competition focuses on research projects and programs that will significantly advance marine finfish juvenile production technologies for aquaculture. The overall goal is to develop and refine broodstock, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies enabling the reliable production of sufficient quantities of juvenile marine finfish to supply ongrowing operations. Strong applications will address program priorities described below and will integrate research and extension. Proposals are sought that support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to marine finfish juvenile production technologies; make that information available to U.S. coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and also preferably industry stakeholders.

Program Priorities

One segment of U.S. aquaculture of increasing interest, importance, and potential expansion is the production of marine finfish, especially through offshore as well as landbased on-growing culture systems. Recently, Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI), USDA-ARS, and NOAA, with the aid of experts from academia, government, and industry developed a list of marine finfish species including their commercial status. This was followed by presentations of species status at professional meetings which culminated in publication of a Special Issue in the Journal of the World Aquaculture Society entitled "Status of U.S. marine finfish species for domestic aquaculture expansion." As a result of this publication, a total of 18 marine finfish species of interest were identified by experts and classified with the status of “commercially ready,” “technologically feasible,” or “in experimental development.” Those 18 species are eligible for this competition. In addition, steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is an eligible species for this competition. 

Proposals submitted to this funding opportunity must focus on one or more of the 19 species listed below:

• Almaco jack, Seriola rivoliana - Commercially ready
• Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua - Commercially ready
• Black sea bass, Centropristis striata - Commercially ready
• California yellowtail, Seriola lalandi - Commercially ready
• Cobia, Rachycentron canadum - Commercially ready
• Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus - Commercially ready
• Olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus - Commercially ready
• Red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus - Commercially ready
• Sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria - Commercially ready
• Spotted wolffish, Anarhichas minor - Commercially ready
• Striped bass, Morone saxatilis - Commercially ready
• White sea bass, Atractoscion nobilis - Commercially ready
• California halibut, Paralichthys californicus - Technologically feasible
• Spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus - Technologically feasible
• Greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili - In experimental development
• Southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma - In experimental development
• Summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus - In experimental development
• Tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis - In experimental development
• Steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

This competition will fund proposals that: 

1. Address barriers to production of marine finfish juveniles of one or more of the species listed above; 
2. Demonstrate that the work proposed will meaningfully advance the commercialization of the species being studied;
3. Demonstrate a plan to extend the results of work to industry stakeholders in the U.S.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

More information about this competition can be found in the official NOFF or with funding opportunity number: NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007054 on www.grants.gov, as well as at seagrant.noaa.gov/funding.

For more details, join the informational webinar on October 15, 2021 at 2 pm ET (Link to join webinar here).

If you have any questions or concerns please contact:

Jim LaChance, Aquaculture Projects Coordinator
jlachance@mdsg.umd.edu
301-405-6372

Dr. Michael Allen, Associate Director for Research and Administration
mallen@mdsg.umd.edu
301-405-6372