VASG Selected to Host Aquaculture Information Exchange

By Hallee Meltzer, National Sea Grant College Program

NOAA Sea Grant selected Virginia Sea Grant to host the Aquaculture Information Exchange in partnership with USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers, with an award of $785,000 over the next four years. The USDA has provided additional funding in the amount of $145,000 over the next three years for Virginia Sea Grant to work directly with the Regional Aquaculture Centers to develop materials for the Exchange and to facilitate USDA assistance in testing the platform.

The Aquaculture Information Exchange will be an online community that engages individuals from both the public and private sectors with interests in U.S. aquaculture and related topics. The establishment of this exchange represents a joint effort of NOAA Sea Grant, NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, NOAA Office of Education, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, USDA-ARS and USDA-NIFA, and it aims to enhance collaboration between growers, researchers, hatcheries, industry, government agencies and other parties with an interest in aquaculture.