Aquaculture is a dynamic, $21 million dollar industry in Wisconsin, with the potential to grow. Wisconsin is home to many successful aquaculture and aquaponics businesses that are poised to expand, and new businesses are yet to be formed.
Nurturing the growth of Wisconsin’s aquaculture industry helps provide a sustainable, domestic alternative to imported fish and seafood. Currently, more than 90 percent of the fish Americans consume is imported.
Our work in this area aligns with the National Sea Grant College Program’s goal of supporting sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
Wisconsin Sea Grant funds research that generates actionable information grounded in solid science–research that fish farmers can use.
To name just a few examples, Sea Grant-supported research helps Wisconsin fish farmers:
- learn how to best raise certain species
- understand what consumers want to eat
- develop effective marketing strategies for their products
- stay on top of sustainable, environmentally responsible practices
- and much more.
Some of our partners:
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Sea Grant Aquaculture Outreach Specialist Emma Wiermaa at NADF
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A partner of Wisconsin Sea Grant and part of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (UWSP NADF) is located in Bayfield, Wis.
UWSP-NADF promotes public education and advances the discovery, dissemination and application of knowledge for sustainable aquaculture in a northern climate. UWSP-NADF is an international leader in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) technology. It is equipped to provide a wide range of applied research and demonstration projects for a variety of fish species.
UW-Stevens Point Professor of Fisheries Biology Chris Hartleb directs the facility, and Sea Grant Aquaculture Outreach Specialist Emma Wiermaa is based there.
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Aquaculture research at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences focuses on intensive urban aquaculture, an innovative process that allows freshwater fish to be grown in repurposed urban buildings. The goal is to produce locally grown, sustainable food through green technology and water reuse systems.
Undergraduates at UW-Milwaukee can pursue a urban aquaculture certificate program to put these techniques into practice in this emerging industry.
Learn more about Great Lakes aquaculture research at UW-Milwaukee.
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Sea Grant Aquaculture Outreach Specialist Fred Binkowski gives a demonstration to students from Freedom High School
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