 BladeRunner Energy, Inc. is bringing to market an affordable renewable energy solution that harnesses the reliable power found in the natural flow of water, without the need for dams or impoundments. BladeRunner’s small, flexible configuration is a unique approach and builds on the larger trends of the energy transition and distributed energy resources. With the appropriate resource, this approach will result in an affordable small-scale renewable energy system that offers low environmental impact, debris resilience, and has the potential for a competitive operating cost in applications relying on diesel generation or suffering from energy constraints. As an early-stage company committed to making renewable energy available in areas rich with riverine and tidal/ocean currents, BladeRunner has been successful at receiving recognition from federal entities in their innovative approach. Currently, the company is under contract with the Department of Energy (DOE), where they are collaborating with the University of Alaska Fairbanks in a project focused on applications for remote riverine communities. Under this work, BladeRunner is developing their initial stand-alone product rated for 5kW of electrical power at a water velocity of 3.5 to 4 knots and have been field testing prototypes in the 3kW scale. These recent tests have been of a 5ft diameter rotor, coupled to the generator via a 25ft long flexible composite torsional cable.  Determined to be participants in the shift towards small-scale distributed power generation, BladeRunner looks to a future where their technology will also support sustainable practices in the aquaculture and maritime industries. To this end, BladeRunner is working on a proposal for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant in response to DOE’s interest for co-development of a marine energy technology, where a partnership between an energy technology developer and an end-user in the marine aquaculture sector is strongly emphasized. The company sees a path where this R&D grant can allow tailoring of their system for harnessing bi-directional tidal currents and allow for a relative ease in co-locating with existing infrastructure.
To learn more, visit bladerunnerenergy.com.
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 February 23 - 26, 2023 New Orleans, Louisiana Aquaculture America 2023 returns to one of the favorite tourist spots in the world for the only major national aquaculture conference and exposition held in the U.S. The U.S. Aquaculture Society (formerly U.S. Chapter of WAS) joins with National Aquaculture Association and the Aquaculture Suppliers Association to produce the annual Aquaculture America meetings.
The Conference is also the site for meetings organized by the Aquacultural Engineering Society, Aquatic Drug Approval Coalition, US Trout Farmers Association, Zebrafish Husbandry Association and many more associations to make Aquaculture America 2023 the one meeting in the U.S. that you don’t want to miss! A critical trade show for aquaculturists, Aquaculture America 2023 will have the largest aquaculture trade show in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest anywhere in the world with nearly 200 booths! This is your opportunity to inspect the latest in products and services for the aquaculture industry. It is the place to visit current suppliers and make new contacts. To keep ahead and to keep profits building, you need to keep pace with the technological advancements in the industry. Aquaculture America 2023 is the place to learn about the latest in aquaculture, see the newest technology in the trade show and have a great time in the many fantastic restaurants, bars and entertainment sites in New Orleans. Improving aquaculture will give us more affordable protein for less environmental impact says world’s largest conservation organization, as COP 27 climate conference gets underway in Egypt
There is no prospect of maintaining the sustainability of the international seafood sector without shifting large amounts of fish production to aquaculture, says WWF, the world’s leading conservation organization. “We have now turned the corner that we have to farm the ocean to get the protein that we need,” says Merrielle Macleod, a director on the WWF-US Aquaculture team, as world leaders gathered in Egypt for this year’s UN Climate Conference (COP27). “There’s a lot of evidence that the footprint of aquaculture makes it a lower impact way for people to eat.” Macleod said, according to TheFishSite. Emphasising that any type of food production, including aquaculture, has an impact on the environment, she said the essential goal is to use fish farming to produce protein for the world’s people with less environmental impact than other forms of protein production... Read more Gig Harbor, WA--The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) announced that it has awarded its first-ever aquaculture scholarships to three students—two representing US Tribes and one representing one of Canada’s First Nations. Each scholar will receive US $5,000 to pursue degrees in aquaculture, marine biology, and fisheries and wildlife science. Established to honor the legacy of the late Kurt Grinnell, a Native American leader from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington State, who saw aquaculture as a solution to Tribal food security, the KGASF provides financial assistance to Tribal and First Nations students who wish to pursue careers in aquaculture and natural resources, said Jaiden Grinnell Bosick, one of Grinnell’s two daughters. Bosick, who fishes commercially in Alaska with her husband, serves on the KGASF Board, where she heads up the Scholarship Selection Committee. “As a family and as a Board, we are immensely proud of these three scholarship winners,” said Bosick. “We all believe these students have a bright and shining future ahead, and we look forward to their contributions to the field of aquaculture.” She added, “My dad would have been honored and proud to know them.” The scholarship award announcement coincides with the celebration in the United States of National Native American Heritage Month, which is celebrated every June in Canada as National Indigenous History Month, said Levana Mastrangelo, Vice-Chair of the KGASF board and Selection Committee member. “We believe that the scholarships made possible by the KGASF not only help these students financially, but for every scholarship winner, there is a strong connection to their Tribal or First Nation heritage,” she said. Mastrangelo, the Senior Reconciliation Advisor at Cermaq Canada, Ltd., belongs to the Ucluelet First Nation - Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government. “In Canada, aquaculture plays a vital role in First Nation communities and is a path to self-determination and Reconciliation,” she said, adding that “aquaculture provides many jobs and economic opportunities, as well as creating healthy seafood products.” The inaugural scholarship winners are Michael Buck of the Yakama Nation in Washington State (whose Yakama Nation name is Ka-Kin-As); Alana Schofield of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Michigan; and Taylor Nichols of the Wahnapitae First Nation (WFN) in Ontario, Canada.
Michael Buck, enrolled at the University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, has “a keen interest in historic fisheries in the Columbia River Basin including lamprey populations which were historically important to several Tribes in the Colombia River Basin.” He plans to use his scholarship to pursue his master’s degree. Alana Schofield is enrolled at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where she will pursue a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. Alana has experience in Tribal Fisheries and is interested in learning about aquaculture and aquaponics, with the goal of “returning to her Tribal Community and using her knowledge to advance tribal sovereignty and improve and protect the natural environment.” Taylor Nichols has experience in aquaculture via a pickerel micro-hatchery with the WFN and is currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Biology from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario. She is a graduate of Canada’s Dalhousie University. Those who wish to support the education of future leaders in aquaculture and fisheries may donate to: Contribute • Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (kurtgrinnellscholarship.org) ### Media Contact: Levana Mastrangelo Levana.mastrangelo@cermaq.com 250-201-0565 Jeanne McKnight jmcknight@mcknightpr.com 206-963-6478  As the Oregon and Pacific Northwest Aquaculture Development Conference has come to a close, we want to thank our speakers and panelists (listed below), sponsors (listed below), Chef Luis Cabañas and all those in attendance. The aim of the conference was to evaluate the current situation, understand barriers to growth, and develop strategies to promote sustainable aquaculture development. Attendees participated in interactive sessions, providing input that will help chart a path for expanded and responsible aquaculture investment. Conference attendees also gained perspective and appreciation of the promise of aquaculture (in Oregon and throughout the United States) as well as a comprehensive understanding of the necessary challenges to overcome in realizing this promise. Additionally, over beautiful cuisine from Chef Luis Cabañas, conference participants had an opportunity to network and connect with others in the industry, from farmers to researchers to agency and retailers and beyond.  Thank you again to all in attendance! Below is a synopsis of the topics discussed at the conference: Investing in the Future Aquaculture has been practiced in Oregon for generations. However, most of the state’s limited aquaculture investments to date focus on shellfish, principally oysters, and salmonids. Based on USDA data, by value, 87% of the Oregon aquaculture private sector harvest is shellfish. Of the remaining 13% of the harvest attributed to finfish, 98% reportedly comes from trout. Trout and oysters have been the staples of Oregon aquaculture for decades — this not considering the large network of public sec-tor salmonid hatcheries and nurseries across the state. Addressing the Needs of Today The world’s population is growing rapidly, with increasing concerns for food security, even in more affluent regions. The World Bank predicts aquaculture will assume a greater and greater role worldwide in attracting investment and producing much needed food — contributing an estimated 60% of global seafood supply by 2030. The Aquaculture Development Conference The state possesses a unique mix of natural, human, market, and technological resources that offer real investment opportunities. The aim of the conference is to highlight these opportunities while making a realistic assessment of how success can be achieved and what pitfalls often lead to failure. Aquaculture is hard work and the val-ue chain complex, but these can lead to many profitable businesses  Thank you to our sponsors! Chemeketa Community College Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Sea Grant Oregon State University Thank you to our speakers and panelists!
Randy Bentz, Oregon Aquaculture Association Karina Nielsen, Oregon Sea Grant Paul Zajicek, National Aquaculture Association Carole Engle, Engle-Stone Aquatic$ LLC Daisy Berg, New Seasons Warren Howe, Oregon Fish Co. Megan Judge, Oregon Aquaculture Association Tony Vaught, ProAquaculture Missy Bird, The Mermaid’s Garden Wally Pereyra, Arctic Storm Management Group Kellen Parish, NOAA / Oregon Aquaculture Association Miranda Ries, Pacific Seafood Steve Rumrill, ODFW Jim Johnson, ODA Call Nichols, Blue-Trace Joe Bratt, NWFC Ryan Anderson, Steward Foundation Alexis Nelson, Gybe Thomas Losordo, Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems Katherine Onofryton, Aquatactics Joel Kelly, Live Local Organic Tom McDonald, Desert Springs Fish Hatchery Angee Doerr, Oregon Sea Grant Dan Tonnes, NOAA Brielle Cummings, USACE Dave Stone, FIC Erick Garman, ODA Chuck Toombs, Oregon Seaweed/Oregon Dulse Jeanne McKnight, NWAA Phil La Vine, CCC Laura Ferguson, Octant Consulting Paul Schuytema, Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County Heather Desart, Northwest Oregon Works Corey Habiger, Worksource Oregon Jane Barth February 23 - 26, 2023
New Orleans, Louisiana Aquaculture America 2023 returns to one of the favorite tourist spots in the world for the only major national aquaculture conference and exposition held in the U.S. The U.S. Aquaculture Society (formerly U.S. Chapter of WAS) joins with National Aquaculture Association and the Aquaculture Suppliers Association to produce the annual Aquaculture America meetings. The Conference is also the site for meetings organized by the Aquacultural Engineering Society, Aquatic Drug Approval Coalition, US Trout Farmers Association, Zebrafish Husbandry Association and many more associations to make Aquaculture America 2023 the one meeting in the U.S. that you don’t want to miss! A critical trade show for aquaculturists, Aquaculture America 2023 will have the largest aquaculture trade show in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest anywhere in the world with nearly 200 booths! This is your opportunity to inspect the latest in products and services for the aquaculture industry. It is the place to visit current suppliers and make new contacts. To keep ahead and to keep profits building, you need to keep pace with the technological advancements in the industry Aquaculture America 2023 is the place to learn about the latest in aquaculture, see the newest technology in the trade show and have a great time in the many fantastic restaurants, bars and entertainment sites in New Orleans. NOAA recently published a list of featured content to help educators with aquaculture information and curriculum in their classrooms. With content from K-12 curricula and learning modules to teacher professional development opportunities, resource categories include:
 The Oregon Aquaculture Association in partnership with Oregon State University, National and Oregon Sea Grant, Business Oregon, and the US Department of Agriculture, will be hosting their first aquaculture development conference on Oct. 4-6, 2022, on the campus of Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon.
The Oregon and Pacific Northwest Aquaculture Development Conference is free and open to anyone with an interest in aquaculture from both the private and the public sectors; higher education; and industry, to participate in this collaborative event. The aim of the conference is to evaluate the current situation, understand barriers to growth, and develop strategies to promote sustainable aquaculture development. Attendees will participate in interactive sessions with the expectation that collective input will help chart a path for expanded and responsible aquaculture investment. Participants will leave the conference with a greater appreciation for the promise of aquaculture as well as a comprehensive understanding of the necessary challenges to overcome in realizing this promise. Additionally, participants will gain new aquaculture knowledge and an expanded personal aquaculture network. Click Here to Register Please visit the links below with suggestions for accommodations in and near Salem, Oregon, the current agenda, and a brief attendee survey (optional). Please direct all questions to kellen@oregonaquaculture.org Conference Attendee Survey Oregon and PNW Aquaculture Development Conference Agenda Salem Accommodation Recommendations  The Kurt Grinnell Scholarship Foundation is accepting scholarship applications. Applicants must be enrolled Tribal Members in the United States or enrolled Members of First Nations in Canada.
The Foundation intends to award a minimum of two scholarships, one in the U.S. and one in Canada, with scholarships awards in the range of $5,000 USD each. However, they may make larger awards where appropriate or make more than two scholarship awards. Scholarship applications for the fall of 2022 are due no later than September 1, 2022. Applications materials and instructions are available here: Scholarship • Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (kurtgrinnellscholarship.org). Should you know of any deserving Tribal or First Nations students or prospective students who are studying or wish to study aquaculture or a closely related field that supports sustainable aquaculture, please share this information or make them aware of The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation program. Questions with respect to the applications should be sent via this email addresses: applicationquestions@kurtgrinnellscholarship.org. The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation was created in honor of the late Kurt Grinnell, a Native American leader, who made many significant and meaningful contributions to Washington State's aquaculture industry. Scholarships are awarded to young persons interested in pursuing careers in aquaculture. Click here to donate to this worthy cause. The Oregon Aquaculture Associaiton (OAA) has hired Michael Lee to be the association's new Outreach Officer.
OAA recognizes the need to further develop and expand outreach efforts to better represent OAA members and Oregon's aquaculture industry. As a result, the OAA Board of Directors established a new position within the association. The Outreach Officer will be responsible for the following duties and will lead OAA in engagement with members, industry, public, policy makers, and more. The OAA Outreach Officer duties include (but are not limited to):
Lee has been a representative of the aquaculture industry since 2010. His past and current work includes similar administrative and outreach duties for the California Aquaculture Association (CAA) and the United States Trout Farmers Association (USTFA). Lee is also on the board of directors and outreach committee of the National Aquaculture Association (NAA). |
Oregon Aquaculture Association
P. O. Box 1210, Turner, OR 97392
info@oregonaquaculture.org
P. O. Box 1210, Turner, OR 97392
info@oregonaquaculture.org
Copyright © Oregon Aquaculture Association