The Oregon Aquaculture Association (OAA) board of directors election has come to a close. We would like to thank you, OAA membership, for your participation in this election. 

The following nine directors have been elected to the OAA Board: 
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Clint Bentz, Owner/operator, Blue Den Ranch
Randy Bentz, Owner/operator, Blue Den Ranch
Kathy Bridges, Past Producer, Santiam Valley Ranch
Tom Losordo, Aquaculture Engineer, Emeritus Professor North Carolina State University
Miranda Ries, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Aquaculture Division, Pacific Seafood
Kim Thompson, Executive Director, Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association
Jon Bonkoski, Senior Director of Knowledge Systems, Ecotrust
Tom MacDonald, Owner/operator, Desert Springs Trout Farm
Gary Brian, Owner/operator, Brian Trout Ranch

Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to hold promise for maintaining the lung health of people who eat them, according to a study backed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Researchers developed a two-part study, including a longitudinal, observational study of 15,063 Americans, investigating the link between omega-3 fatty acid levels in the blood and lung function over time. The study showed higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in a person’s blood were associated with a reduced rate of lung function decline, according to the NIH, with the strongest associations of positive health benefits attributed to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in high levels in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines...
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Read more at SeafoodSource.com

Executive Summary
Oregon has a long history of aquaculture, and currently produces roughly $24 million in output from a mixture of saltwater and freshwater farms. Unfortunately, Oregon’s aquaculture output lags its neighboring states. This report seeks to investigate this poor performance with three research questions:

1. What are key barriers to the U.S. aquaculture industry that prevent expansion?
2. What barriers disproportionately affect Oregon’s aquaculture industry?
3. What are strategies Oregon’s Department of Agriculture can deploy to overcome these
   barriers?

To address these questions, our team conducted a literature review which included academic papers, government websites and reports, agency financial statements, and news articles. The literature review focuses on Oregon but also includes information on U.S. aquaculture more generally in order to study our first two research questions. Our team then interviewed seventeen aquaculture producers from seven different states including Oregon. The states were chosen using criteria based on the amount of aquaculture production and geography and specific producers were selected by convenience and snowball sampling. We used the transcripts from the interviews to examine the different barriers aquaculture producers face, as well as some of the possible solutions to these barriers...

​Read the full report here.

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The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation (KGASF) is accepting scholarship applications from members of a Tribe or First Nation and/or are involved in education, fisheries, aquaculture, or natural resource management. Each year, depending on funding availability, the KGASF awards several $5,000 (or more) scholarships. To qualify, students or prospective students must be:

• An enrolled member of a United States recognized Tribe or a member of a Canada First Nation, or Metis or Inuit group; and,
• Enrolled to study aquaculture, or a closely related field at a university, community college, or a technical or trade institution.

The 2023 Scholarship Application Period is now open. Scholarship Applications are due by midnight on August 15, 2023. Click here to view more.

In 2022, the KGASF awarded three scholarships. The three students who received scholarship awards were:

• Mr. Michael Buck of the Yakama Nation. Michael is attending the University of Washington where he is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Marine and Environmental Affairs.
• Ms. Alana Schofield of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Upper Michigan. Alana is attending Lake Superior State University where she is pursuing a B.S. degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology and
• Ms. Taylor Nichols of the Wahnapitae First Nation, located in Capreol, Ontario, Canada. Taylor is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Biology from Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada.

All three students noted that the KGASF awards were very important to their ability to successfully focus on studies and learning.

This year we hope to award even more scholarships. Should you know of any deserving students, please make them aware of our scholarship program. Likewise, if you know of educators, administrators, or natural resource managers who, in turn, may know of qualified students interested in our scholarship program, please forward this email to them. Should you have any questions, please contact John Dentler, KGASF President and Treasurer, at john.dentler@gmail.com.

More information about the Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation can be found here.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife in partnership with the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission recently launched its new fish identification application for your mobile device. Check out the West Coast Fish ID application here!
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The West Coast Fish ID application is a digital encyclopedia of common species that can be found on the North American West Coast. The application facilitates rapid identification of common fish species that are targeted in fisheries along the North American West Coast using high quality images, illustrations and lists of key characteristics. The application also provides tips for differentiating between similar species.

Objectives​
The principal aim of the Aquaculture Development Conference (Conference) was to promote increased investment in sustainable aquaculture and optimize its positive economic, social, and nutritional contributions in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest (PNW). A parallel objective was to address the considerable lack of aquaculture knowledge that adversely affects the development of the sector in this region.

The underlying principle was that, if aquaculture is to develop and deliver positive benefits in the PNW as it has in many locations in the United States and the world, the status quo is no longer an option action is required. 

Design & Expectations​
Given the relatively low level of aquaculture investment in Oregon in particular, and the Pacific Northwest in general, the Conference sought to address key issues affecting public and private investments in aqua farming. The Conference was not meant to be an end unto itself, but the beginning of a process that will encourage greater interest and motivate individuals and firms to raise and eat more farmed seafood.

An immediate expectation from the Conference was to act as a forum for information exchange and networking. A stronger knowledge base leads to greater investment built on an enhanced understanding of the risks and benefits. It is also expected that the Conference will be catalytic, coalescing efforts, prompting action, and expanding horizons. 

Government Engagement
The government’s role in aquaculture is usually that of policy maker and regulator. In many investors’ views, government means convoluted and costly regulations. Nonetheless, there is general agreement that some level of regulation and oversight is necessary. Regulatory processes can be streamlined by involving operators when outlining regulatory procedures, establishing a one-stop-shop to coordinate between and across agencies, and implementing pre-investment meetings for individual investors.

​Policy and regulations are not, however, the sole role for governments. Ideally government should be a facilitator of economic development and wise investing. The public sector plays an important part in research and development (R&D), education, outreach, and advocacy. 

Government support of sector growth is pivotal if aquaculture is to reach its untapped potential in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and, more broadly, across the country. Additionally, government can serve as a vehicle for increasing the public’s understanding of aquaculture through enhanced education and extension systems.

Tribal Aquaculture​
Tribal communities have unique circumstances potentially making aquaculture investment easier and allowing them to be prospective early adopters for a nascent2 program. Conference attendees representing the state of Washington explained that tribal rights can be exercised in ways that allow for faster permitting and startup of aquaculture enterprises. Additionally, tribes can form partnerships with private companies to pair technical ability and aquaculture expertise with tribal organization, funding, and entrepreneurship. For example, the Jamestown Tribe partners with Cooke Aquaculture on developing successful marine aquaculture projects providing the potential to expand tribal economic activity while having downstream impacts on tribal public health, food security, and overall sovereignty. Both from within and outside Tribal Communities, special efforts should be focused on meaningful engagement regarding aquatic farming opportunities and assisting with investment planning incorporated with integrated economic and community development. A dynamic, diversified, and profitable tribal aquaculture program would serve as a strong foundation upon which to expand subsectoral growth and attract additional investment. 

Partnerships & Associations
Aquaculture can serve as an important part of the economy, from local to national levels. This requires partnerships with entities covering a range of backgrounds, from markets and technology to civil society. These partnerships can be facilitated through a vibrant aquaculture producer association that is able to add value to the entire aquaculture program. Practically, this means strengthening state and regional aquaculture associations by ensuring they have the necessary breadth to support the overall state industry while building strong relationships with other producer associations (e.g., in the case of Oregon, two important linkages are with the horticulture and viticulture associations). 
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Knowledge and Education
The lack of a large and diversified aquaculture industry results in limited knowledge which has an impact on industry development. From students to members of civil society to would-be operators, this knowledge gap results in widespread misconceptions that hinder program development and causes farm level investments that are not technically sound and have high risk of failure. Some of these gaps can be addressed by utilizing available tools and resources while exploring more long term solutions such as more thoroughly integrating aquaculture into existing educational networks.

Program Development & Strategic Planning
There are certain advantages in having an underdeveloped program. As opposed to retrofitting an expansive existing industry, it is possible to take state of the art solutions and technologies to sculpt a 21st Century sustainable
and profitable program. This starts with a comprehensive State Aquaculture Strategic Plan. This plan, in turn, requires naming a lead agency and establishing an ad hoc Planning Committee representing all stakeholder groups. A state strategic aquaculture plan should be considered as an essential component of any responsible and productive state program. ​

In the aggregate, Conference discussions can be distilled to highlight an overall investment perspective and a set of high priority actions.

Perspective​
Under favorable conditions aquaculture can be a set of food systems and aquatic organism management schemes that can attract positive public and private investment. The corollary is that the absence of this investment can often be attributed to basic principles underpinning the acceptance of aquaculture.

In the case of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and many other areas, it can be proffered that the fundamental issues potentially adversely affecting the growth of the aquaculture sector are NOT technical nor even economic. The principal questions affecting the expansion and diversification of aquaculture are political support and social license, or the lack thereof. 

Al Roker of NBC's Today Show shares a closer look at aquafarms (aquaculture) as an innovative new underwater and sustainable way to raise native seafood and plants while also helping to combat climate change and overfishing.

“In a changing climate, we need to consider the environmental impacts of what we eat,” said Danielle Blacklock, director of NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. “Adding more seafood to your diet is a climate-smart, earth-friendly choice, especially if it’s grown here in the United States.”
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To showcase the diversity of the United State’s aquaculture industry, Al Roker and the NBC team visited aquaculture efforts in California and Connecticut. They met NOAA, Sea Grant, and farmers from the Port of San Diego and Copps Island Oysters. In San Diego, Roker learned about abalone and how aquaculture can grow as part of the Blue Economy.

View NBC's video report here | Read more at NOAA.gov

The Oregon Aquaculture Association (OAA) will be holding a membership meeting on May 8, 2023 from 2p to 3p PST  via Zoom. OAA members are welcome to join this meeting.

If you are an OAA member and would to attend this meeting, please email Outreach Director, Michael Lee at michael@oregonaquaculture.org.

If you are not yet a member of OAA and wish to join, please click here.

The Oregon and Pacific Northwest Aquaculture Development Conference was held in Salem last October with the aim to promote increased investment in sustainable aquaculture and optimize its positive economic, social, and nutritional contributions. One of the key recommendations coming from this conference was to establish the framework for developing a State Strategic Aquaculture Plan and begin the planning process in 2023.

As a follow-up to this recommendation, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Oregon Aquaculture Association (OAA) are organizing a listening and discussion session to assess the methodologies and processes that could be employed to elaborate this plan while ensuring it reflects the priorities of the diverse stakeholder groups that comprise the nascent Oregon aquaculture program.
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With this background, you are invited to attend this planning session to be held in ODAs headquarters at 635 Capital St. NE, Salem on April 12th, 2023, from 09:30-12:00. Kindly RSVP to erick.garman@oda.oregon.gov by March 31st, 2023.

Situation Analysis for Oregon’s Emergent Seaweed Aquaculture Industry Now Available

​Introduction:
In response to the world’s growing population and need for food security, aquaculture has become one of the fastest-growing food production sectors (FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations] 2020). This growth has often been associated with, and in some places has resulted in, negative environmental impacts, including habitat degradation, pollution, and impacts on wild stocks (Naylor et al. 2021). Thus, with this rapid expansion, the challenge is determining how to foster development sustainably and equitably. A growing body of research demonstrates that—if deployed in the right places with the right practices and species—aquaculture can bring benefits to both ocean ecosystems and the communities that rely on them, a concept termed restorative aquaculture (TNC [The Nature Conservancy] 2021).

In addition to food, seaweed aquaculture has the potential to provide other sustainable products for a wide range of industries, livelihoods for coastal communities, and improved ocean health (TNC 2021). Seaweed can be a source of low-carbon food, raw materials, and energy, with product uses including human consumption, animal feed, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, biofuel, and bioplastics (Piconi et al. 2020; McKinley Research Group 2021). Seaweed aquaculture also has the potential to provide seedstock for wild populations, create beneficial habitat, improve water quality, and buffer against localized ocean acidification (O’Shea et al. 2019; Gentry et al. 2020).

Over 90% of the seaweed produced globally comes from the four Asian countries of China, Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines, where there is a well-established industry for food and hydrocolloids, but the industry is expanding to other regions, such as North America (FAO 2018, 2020). In the United States, sugar kelp is the primary farmed seaweed, with most in-water grow out locations in the Northeast Atlantic and Pacific Northwest. A TNC study by Theuerkauf et al. (2019) identified Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, as the top marine ecoregions in North America where seaweed aquaculture could be environmentally beneficial, socially acceptable, and economically viable...

View the full report here.