Sustainable Aquaculture

This is a project currently underway by Dr. Ron Hardy in the Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) at the University of Idaho. In essence, his project’s goal is to develop a genetic understanding of the challenges of carrying out widespread aquaculture of fish in a sustainable manner. A key concern is that some of the most valuable fish for aquaculture require non-vegetarian feedstock that cannot be sustainably mass-produced. He and his team are working to solve that problem.

The HIBAR elements of this project:

Dual motivations: Hardy has a desire to discover new ideas about fish genetics and nutrition on a basic level and, at the same time, a desire to solve problems of food security for the growing human population throughout the world.

Dual methods: Methods for this project include both traditional genetic research related to fish metabolism, and creative techniques for discovering how the biochemical qualities of their normal food (other fish) can be replicated in plant-based fish feed. 

Dual partners: Academic researchers at ARI and elsewhere are collaborating with industrial partners from Cargill and other corporations as well as the USDA and other government agencies.

Dual time frame: Long-term objectives include new knowledge about fish genetics and nutrition and urgent objectives include raising more fish to feed more people as soon as possible.