The first annual Great Lakes Aquaculture Day, hosted by the Great Lakes Sea Grant, took place on Oct. 10 and was attended by the public and professionals throughout the Great Lakes region.

The event was virtual due to COVID-19 and was for those interested in aquaculture. It showcased the Great Lakes region’s potential for increase in fish and seafood production and provided technical information to future and current producers. 

“Great Lakes Aquaculture Day is designed to inform the public about aquaculture and how to choose and cook seafood, provide aquaculture information to new and current fish farmers and connect aquaculture producers with information they need,” Amy Schrank, Minnesota Sea Grant Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator, said.

Dr. Chris Hartleb, Professor of Fish Biology and Director of the UWSP-Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, was a panelist presenter for the session on technical expertise and professional development opportunities.

“[I want people to know] that there is help out there for current and future fish culturists and they are not starting nor operating an aquaculture business alone,” Hartleb said. “There [is] national, regional, local and university support available.” 

The day was filled with panel discussions and presentations on aquaculture — with each targeting a variety of audiences — from current and potential seafood farmers to consumers wanting to learn more about cooking locally produced seafood.

Dr. Trey Malone, an Assistant Professor and Extension Economist in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Michigan State University, gave a lecture about the importance of direct marketing to increase business revenue, highlighting the significance of online sales during the pandemic.

“I hope people gained a little bit of energy and excitement about the future of this industry,” Malone said. “I think there are many incredible opportunities on the horizon for aquacultural producers, and am excited to see how the industry responds to challenges moving forward.” 

According to Schrank, Sea Grant is a program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) within the United States Department of Commerce. It is a federal and university partnership composed of 34 university-based programs in coastal states, including the Great Lakes. There are seven individual Great Lakes Sea Grant programs in each of the eight states that border the Great Lakes, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

“The mission of Sea Grant is to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources in order to create a sustainable economy and environment,” Schrank said. “Sea Grant does this by bringing science and the community together to solve water-related problems.” 

According to Schrank, aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of agriculture across the world and now accounts for more than 50% of the production of seafood in the world. However, in the United States, the growth of aquaculture has been stagnant. The seafood supply from American wild-caught fisheries is not enough to meet nationwide demand. One result is a $14 billion seafood trade deficit. 

Dr. Myron Kebus, the Wisconsin State Fish Health Veterinarian and director of the Fish Farm Fish Health Program at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), presented on the challenges of fish health regulations over the past 20 years and how it affects production.

“DATCP has overcome challenges in a way that works well for fish farms and the state’s natural resources,” Kebus said. “We are a model, and we are willing to collaborate with other states to attain similar success in their respective areas.” 

To better the aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes, the seven Great Lakes Sea Grant programs formed a partnership called the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC). This partnership is led by the Minnesota Sea Grant and its members, including Sea Grant extension educators, fisheries biologists, science communicators, economists and aquaculture specialists from Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.  

“Our goal is to work together to support an environmentally responsible, science-based, competitive and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region,” Schrank said.

Sea Grant created breakout rooms over Zoom organized by region during the lunch where participants could go to ask questions and interact with the Sea Grant staff and other panelists.

The event ended with a seafood cooking demonstration from Chef Jeff Igel from the Fox Valley Technical College, followed by a cooking competition with three culinary students from the Great Lakes region.

For more information about the Great Lakes Sea Grant and to find future events, visit their website.