Friday, September 01, 2000

UNCW's mariculture program received a $234,000 research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue research on important marine fish species for commercial production and stock enhancement projects.

U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) and U.S. Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) played key roles in helping UNCW receive funding during the fiscal year 2000 appropriation process.

"UNC Wilmington is a fine university and deserves this funding which will be helpful in mariculture in North Carolina and will be enormously important to the continued economic growth of agriculture in our state," said Sen. Helms.

"Mariculture provides an economically viable and environmentally sound way to develop our rich coastal resources," said Sen. Edwards. "I am proud to see cutting edge mariculture research going on at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington."

Mariculture, or marine aquaculture, is becoming an increasingly important means for replacing the quickly declining wild stocks of fish species worldwide. All marine food species are heavily fished, and some are facing commercial extinction. The U.S. imports more than 50 percent of its seafood products.

UNCW studies such things as broodstock nutrition, growth and survivability of southern and summer flounder and the spawning of black seabass in closed, controlled systems. Also important to the project is the reduction of environmental problems presented by mariculture techniques. UNCW will study ways to reduce pollution and other unwanted hazards that could result from fish farming in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

"UNCW intends to conduct leading edge research in ways not only to help the American aquatic farmer provide seafood, but to learn how to reintroduce depleted species back to their natural habitat," stated Chancellor James R. Leutze.