Marine science
Aqua Green taps into high-growth field
Aqua Green taps into high-growth field
...STONE COUNTY, Miss. – A company that’s been operating an aquaculture
facility in Stone County for the past two years already has its sights set on
growing to meet the demand for seafood.
...Richard Cuneo, sales and marketing manager for Aqua Green LLC, said the
company hopes to eventually establish two or three additional facilities in
Perkinston that would push production to as much as 3 million pounds a year.
...“People are looking for the next big industry to emerge from the recession.
This is the next big thing. It’s happening in Mississippi, happening right here in
Stone County,” said Charlotte Koestler, executive director of the Stone County
Economic Development Partnership, about the field of aquaculture.
...A farm like Aqua Green not only creates jobs, but helps reduce reliance on
foreign foods. People are concerned about the quality of the foods they eat, said
Koestler, and locally raised fish provides a level of confidence in the safety of
the product.
...Aqua Green operates a 54,000 square-foot indoor tilapia grow out facility with
60 tanks of 10,000 gallons each equipped with recalculating filtration systems, as
well as a research facility of 34,000 square feet with more than 30 tanks of
various sizes.
...The dual purpose plant allows the company to both produce fish for the
commercial market and experiment with a variety of species to determine the
most efficient methods to grow them to market size.
...“We have an active research and development program within our firm and
work in collaboration with universities and government agencies to continually
develop and refine economically feasible and environmentally sustainable
production methods using recirculation technology,” said Cuneo.
...Aqua Green has a dozen workers and its grow out facilities are capable of
producing 10,000 pounds of fish per week. They started going to market in
March 2009.
...While that may seem like a sizeable output, Cuneo points out that it’s only a
drop in the bucket when compared to demand or the number of fish imported
into the United States. In fact, imported fish is a big contributor to the U.S.
trade deficit, which in September 2009 was $36.5 billion, up from $30.8 billion
the month before.
...According to NOAA, the seafood trade deficit is over $9 billion.
...The import issue is one that’s been sounded before.
...More than two years ago at a meeting at the Gulf Coast Research Lab in
Ocean Springs, economic development officials were told that aquaculture could
play a significant role in the economic development of South Mississippi.
...Speakers said that more than 80 percent of seafood Americans consume is
imported, and 40 percent of that is the product of foreign marine aquaculture
operations. They were told that a window of opportunity exists to develop a
domestic marine aquaculture industry that will create new avenues of
environmentally responsible economic growth while helping sustain traditional
commercial and recreational fishing industries.
...The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration points out that the
fastest growing form of food production in the world is aquaculture. Globally,
nearly half the fish consumed by humans is produced by fish farms, and the
worldwide trend toward aquaculture production is expected to continue. Total U.
S. aquaculture production is about $1 billion annually, compared to world
aquaculture production of about $70 billion. About 20 percent of that is marine
fish species.
...In September, NOAA allowed a plan to move forward that would establish
fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico in offshore pens. Nearly 40 lawmakers in June
asked the Commerce Department to reject the plan, citing environmental
concerns.
...Aqua Green is an alternative to ocean fish farms – raising them in land-based
tanks.
...A cornerstone of the company’s vision is that it can deliver fresh fillets to the
market within 18 hours from harvest as opposed to the four or five days for
seafood from Central or South America.
...“We can do it here,” said Cuneo, who points out that right now Aqua Green’s
effort is a “boutique” type operation designed to address local demand. “The
idea is for us to provide healthy fish growing in the United States under control
of the USDA.”
...Tilapia and redfish are currently being produced, but more is in store.
...“We’re experimenting with the commercialization of Pompano, Cobia and
other marine fish on a commercial basis,” said Cuneo, who said growth is in the
cards, in part because of the research.
...The research effort provides a location where scientists, students, and
members of the industry can test theories and production methods for all aspects
of finfish aquaculture in a controlled environment, said Cuneo.
...In addition to the operation in Mississippi, Aqua Green also has a facility in
Canyon City, Colo. It established an agreement with the Colorado Correctional
Department to grow, harvest and process tilapia at correctional facilities.
...The ultimate goal is to help turn the tide on the importation of fish from
foreign farms and return it to domestic farmers. One benefit is the U.S. fish
farmers must meet the high quality standard imposed by state and the federal
regulators.
...“The development of these systems and production strategies will increase
diversity in the aquaculture industry, increase employment opportunities for
rural America, and enhance food bio-security,” Cuneo said. - David Tortorano
January 2010
facility in Stone County for the past two years already has its sights set on
growing to meet the demand for seafood.
...Richard Cuneo, sales and marketing manager for Aqua Green LLC, said the
company hopes to eventually establish two or three additional facilities in
Perkinston that would push production to as much as 3 million pounds a year.
...“People are looking for the next big industry to emerge from the recession.
This is the next big thing. It’s happening in Mississippi, happening right here in
Stone County,” said Charlotte Koestler, executive director of the Stone County
Economic Development Partnership, about the field of aquaculture.
...A farm like Aqua Green not only creates jobs, but helps reduce reliance on
foreign foods. People are concerned about the quality of the foods they eat, said
Koestler, and locally raised fish provides a level of confidence in the safety of
the product.
...Aqua Green operates a 54,000 square-foot indoor tilapia grow out facility with
60 tanks of 10,000 gallons each equipped with recalculating filtration systems, as
well as a research facility of 34,000 square feet with more than 30 tanks of
various sizes.
...The dual purpose plant allows the company to both produce fish for the
commercial market and experiment with a variety of species to determine the
most efficient methods to grow them to market size.
...“We have an active research and development program within our firm and
work in collaboration with universities and government agencies to continually
develop and refine economically feasible and environmentally sustainable
production methods using recirculation technology,” said Cuneo.
...Aqua Green has a dozen workers and its grow out facilities are capable of
producing 10,000 pounds of fish per week. They started going to market in
March 2009.
...While that may seem like a sizeable output, Cuneo points out that it’s only a
drop in the bucket when compared to demand or the number of fish imported
into the United States. In fact, imported fish is a big contributor to the U.S.
trade deficit, which in September 2009 was $36.5 billion, up from $30.8 billion
the month before.
...According to NOAA, the seafood trade deficit is over $9 billion.
...The import issue is one that’s been sounded before.
...More than two years ago at a meeting at the Gulf Coast Research Lab in
Ocean Springs, economic development officials were told that aquaculture could
play a significant role in the economic development of South Mississippi.
...Speakers said that more than 80 percent of seafood Americans consume is
imported, and 40 percent of that is the product of foreign marine aquaculture
operations. They were told that a window of opportunity exists to develop a
domestic marine aquaculture industry that will create new avenues of
environmentally responsible economic growth while helping sustain traditional
commercial and recreational fishing industries.
...The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration points out that the
fastest growing form of food production in the world is aquaculture. Globally,
nearly half the fish consumed by humans is produced by fish farms, and the
worldwide trend toward aquaculture production is expected to continue. Total U.
S. aquaculture production is about $1 billion annually, compared to world
aquaculture production of about $70 billion. About 20 percent of that is marine
fish species.
...In September, NOAA allowed a plan to move forward that would establish
fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico in offshore pens. Nearly 40 lawmakers in June
asked the Commerce Department to reject the plan, citing environmental
concerns.
...Aqua Green is an alternative to ocean fish farms – raising them in land-based
tanks.
...A cornerstone of the company’s vision is that it can deliver fresh fillets to the
market within 18 hours from harvest as opposed to the four or five days for
seafood from Central or South America.
...“We can do it here,” said Cuneo, who points out that right now Aqua Green’s
effort is a “boutique” type operation designed to address local demand. “The
idea is for us to provide healthy fish growing in the United States under control
of the USDA.”
...Tilapia and redfish are currently being produced, but more is in store.
...“We’re experimenting with the commercialization of Pompano, Cobia and
other marine fish on a commercial basis,” said Cuneo, who said growth is in the
cards, in part because of the research.
...The research effort provides a location where scientists, students, and
members of the industry can test theories and production methods for all aspects
of finfish aquaculture in a controlled environment, said Cuneo.
...In addition to the operation in Mississippi, Aqua Green also has a facility in
Canyon City, Colo. It established an agreement with the Colorado Correctional
Department to grow, harvest and process tilapia at correctional facilities.
...The ultimate goal is to help turn the tide on the importation of fish from
foreign farms and return it to domestic farmers. One benefit is the U.S. fish
farmers must meet the high quality standard imposed by state and the federal
regulators.
...“The development of these systems and production strategies will increase
diversity in the aquaculture industry, increase employment opportunities for
rural America, and enhance food bio-security,” Cuneo said. - David Tortorano
January 2010
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |