UH to Receive Nearly $1 Million for Aquaculture Improvement

US Sen. Brian Schatz recently announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will award $932,770 to the University of Hawai‘i’s (UH) Sea Grant College Program. The grant will fund two aquaculture programs that aim to help farm high value moi, as well as establish a new program that will integrate UHʻs existing aquaculture research.

“Aquaculture is an opportunity for both economic development and environmental leadership,” Sen. Schatz said. “This research builds on Native Hawaiian cultural practices and continues to help us develop responsible ways to use our resources.”

A portion of the funds will go towards developing methods for farming moi, which complements UHʻs future research on other Hawaiian fish species. Another portion will go towards establishing a new aquaculture program at UH that integrates Land Grant and Sea Grant research and fund the Tuahine Aquaculture Research and Education Center, an aquaculture demonstration center.

The UH Sea Grant College Program is part of a national network of 32 programs that aims to promote better understanding, conservation, and use of coastal resources.