PFI: BIC Shellfish Mariculture in Downeast Maine: Building Innovation Capacity to Diversify Economic Opportunities

PFI：缅因州东北部的 BIC 贝类海水养殖：建设创新能力，实现经济机会多元化

• 批准号: 1317268
• 负责人: Brian Beal
• 金额: $ 60万
• 依托单位: University of Maine at Machias
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-07-15 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1317268&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PFI; BIC; Shellfish; Mariculture; Downeast

This Partnerships for Innovation: Building Innovation Capacity project from the University of Maine at Machias (the easternmost of the seven campuses in the University of Maine System) examines opportunities to create new marine aquaculture jobs and new wealth in east coastal Maine through shellfish research involving two commercially important species: blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and Arctic surfclams (Mactromeris polynyma). Currently, mussels are cultured using juveniles sourced from the wild where spatial and temporal variation in both biotic and abiotic conditions does not allow for consistent annual production schedules. Surfclams are not cultured anywhere at present, and, although present in the Gulf of Maine, are harvested commercially only in the Canadian Maritimes where they are dredged hydraulically at depths greater than 20 meters. The surfclams are flash frozen and only their feet are marketed. The proposed activities advance knowledge and understanding within the field of shellfish aquaculture involving the hatchery, nursery, and growout phases of these two commercial bivalve species that have yet to be produced in shellfish hatcheries in the U.S. The research effort will yield information critical to other researchers and commercial businesses about the parameters that affect growth and survival of each species from early to later life-history stages.The broader impacts of this research are related to increasing U.S. competitiveness in the seafood industry. For example, since 1990, U.S. mussel imports have increased from 2,600 tons to more than 15,000 tons. Over 90% of the imports come from two countries, New Zealand and Canada, because the domestic supply is inadequate to keep up with consumer demand. Other impacts involve mentoring undergraduate students in teaching, training, and learning through hands-on hatchery and field-based activities that will broaden participation of underrepresented groups (academic and geographic). The academic-small business partnership is fundamental to the shellfish research that creates a stronger, more efficient research infrastructure. As configured, this partnerships will lead to commercialization activities that are sustainable and compatible with the cultural heritage and ecological values of downeast Maine. PI Beal (a Fulbright Scholar) and co-PI Shumway (an Aldo Leopold Fellow) have extensive experience bridging the gap between industry and academia and will be active in the project as well as in outreach activities.Partners at the inception of the project are the lead academic institution, University of Maine at Machias, a public, undergraduate institution of 1,000 students and 100 employees in eastern Maine; and three primary, small technology-based business partners: AC, Inc (Beals, ME), the largest wholesale seafood business in eastern Maine with 23 employees; New DHC Inc. (Machiasport, ME), a salmon aquaculture company in eastern Maine with 55 employees; and, Pemaquid Oyster Company, Inc. (Waldoboro, ME), a shellfish aquaculture company with 6 employees. Other academic and governmental partners include the University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences (Avery Point, CT); Two branches of National Oceanic and Atmoshperic Administration (NOAA): National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Milford, CT; and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) in Charleston, SC.

这种创新合作伙伴关系：缅因州马基亚斯大学（缅因州系统的七个校园中最东部）建立创新能力项目，研究了缅因州东海岸的贝类研究的机会商业上重要的物种：蓝贻贝（Mytilus Edulis）和北极表面（MacTromeris polynyma）。当前，贻贝是使用来自野生的少年进行培养的，在生物和非生物条件下的空间和时间变化不允许持续的年度生产时间表。目前，表面上没有在任何地方进行培养，尽管存在于缅因州的海湾，但仅在加拿大海事中才能在商业上收获，在加拿大海事中，它们在深度大于20米的深处被疏水。冲浪板被闪烁，只有脚销售。拟议的活动在贝类养殖领域的知识和了解涉及这两个商业双壳类物种的孵化场，苗圃和成长阶段，这些物种尚未在美国的贝类孵化场中产生，这项研究工作将为其他研究人员产生至关重要的信息。以及有关影响从早期到较晚生活阶段的每个物种的增长和生存的参数的商业业务。这项研究的更广泛影响与美国在海鲜行业中的竞争力提高有关。例如，自1990年以来，美国贻贝进口已从2600吨增加到15,000吨以上。超过90％的进口来自两个国家，包括新西兰和加拿大，因为国内供应不足以满足消费者的需求。其他影响涉及通过动手孵化场和基于现场的活动来指导本科生在教学，培训和学习方面，这将扩大代表性不足的群体（学术和地理）的参与。学术小型业务合作伙伴关系是贝类研究的基础，该研究创造了更强大，更有效的研究基础设施。正如配置一样，这种合作伙伴关系将导致可持续的商业化活动，并与缅因州下东的文化遗产和生态价值兼容。 Pi Beal（富布赖特学者）和Co-Pi Shumway（Aldo Leopold的研究员）拥有丰富的经验，可以弥合行业和学术界之间的差距，并将活跃于该项目以及外展活动中。缅因州马基亚斯大学的主要学术机构，一家公众，本科生，由缅因州东部有1000名学生和100名员工；以及三个主要的基于技术的小型业务合作伙伴：AC，INC（ME），缅因州东部最大的批发海鲜业务，拥有23名员工；新DHC Inc.（MACHIASPORT，ME），缅因州东部的一家鲑鱼水产养殖公司，拥有55名员工；以及Pemaquid Oyster Company，Inc。（ME Waldoboro，ME），这是一家拥有6名员工的贝类水产养殖公司。其他学术和政府合作伙伴包括康涅狄格大学海洋科学系（CT Avery Point）； 国家海洋和Atmoshperic管理局（NOAA）的两个分支：康涅狄格州米尔福德市的国家海洋渔业服务（NMFS）；以及位于南卡罗来纳州查尔斯顿的国家海洋科学中心（NCCOS）。