JIFAS talk

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--The New WAVE Frontier---Development of a Gulf
of Mexico Sea Farming Industry
Gulf Marine Institute of Technology Galveston,
Texas
National Resource Center for Cephalopods Marine
Biomedical Institute, UTMB Galveston, TX
N R C C
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Gulf Marine Institute of TechnologyBusiness
Statistics

• GMIT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute
• GMIT owns a US6.2 M oil production platform 15
  km (10 miles) off the Texas coast
• GMIT owns a 115 ft powered barge with 7.5 ton
  crane and service vessel- 27 ft Silverton water
  taxi
• All state and federal permits to operate

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GMIT Platform Specifications
Permitted Site- 500 acres Main platform- 2-decks,
40 m X 24 m Main deck 25 m above water Water
depth on legs 24 m 2-250 kW diesel
generators Sleeping quarters for 18
men Galley and office Satellite platforms (3)- 2
decks, 14 m X 18 m
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Main Platform
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Superstructure
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Main Deck
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Satellite Upper Deck
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3-Satellites
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Crew Quarters
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M/V GMIT-Hobgood
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Net Pen Culture
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Platform Hatchery
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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Snapper- Lutjanus campechanus
• strong market
• spawning technology known
• hatchery success low (lt1)
• strong government and sport fishing interest in
  stock enhancement
• current growth rates lower than other species
  (lt400 g/yr)

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Drum- Sciaenops ocellatus
• proven maturation technology
• produced in commercial quantities in US
  hatcheries
• good growth rate and FCR (lt1.5)
• market may not be as strong as other species

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Red Porgy- Pagrus pagrus
• Mediterranean companies have developed commercial
  hatchery and grow-out technology
• good growth rate and temperature tolerance
• strong foreign markets for pan fish size but
  unknown for US

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Greater Amberjack- Seriola dumerili
• good growth rate (lt2.5 kg/yr)
• cosmopolitan species with high commercial value
  in domestic and foreign markets, Asia and Europe
• spawning technology proven
• adaptable to confinement
• hatchery technology limited

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Cobia- Rachycentron canadum
• extremely high growth rate (10 kg/yr)
• spawning knowledge limited but Taiwanese have
  recently produced in commercial quantities and US
  has spawned
• hatchery production limited to ponds
• attracted to platforms
• strong market in Southern US and Asia

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Dolphin- Coryphaena hippurus
• spawning and hatchery knowledge excellent
• extremely high growth rate (lt12 kg/yr)
• cosmopolitan fish with strong domestic and
  foreign markets
• FCR a problem (gt6)

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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Southern Flounder- Paralicthys lethostigma
• spawning and hatchery knowledge is good
• flatfish have extremely strong world
  markets,Asia, Europe, North America
• diverse culture technologies, net pens vs
  recirculating tanks seawater vs freshwater
• coloration and runt problems require extensive
  grading

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Estimated Growth Rates of Gulf of Mexico Species
at 20-25o C
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Gulf of Mexico Candidate Species

• Name Species Feasibility
  Potential
• Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus
  Commercial Good
• Red Porgy Pagrus pagrus
  Commercial Excellent
• Cobia or Ling Rachycentron canadum
  Technol./Comm. Excellent
• Mutton snapper Lutjanus analis
  Commercial Very good
• Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus
  Technological Very good
• So. Flounder Paralicthys lethostigma
  Technological Very good
• Dolphin Coryphaena hippurus
  Technological Good
• Amberjack Seriola dumerili
  Experimental Excellent
• Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares
  Experimental Very good
• Gulf Flounder Paralicthys albigutta
  Experimental Very good
• Pompano Trchinotus carolinus
  Experimental Very good
• Nassau grouper Epinephelus spp.
  Experimental Very good
• Yellowtail Snapper Ocyrus chrysurus
  Experimental Good

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Recommendations

• Construction and funding of a oil and private
  industry sponsored mariculture hatchery modeled
  on the successful systems found in Greece and
  Europe. Install and test sea cages.
• Development and application of improved hatchery
  technologies, especially for large scale
  production of algae and micro-invertebrate prey.
  Automation of as many hatchery functions as is
  possible.
• Identification of ideal species for culture,
  focusing first on egg and hatching size, second
  on prey/food selection, and third the species
  must also be amenable to out-of-season spawning
  techniques.
• Once optimal candidate species are identified,
  genetic selection programs must be instituted to
  develop biosecure, domesticated stocks,
  optimizing hatching size, disease resistance,
  conversion efficiencies and growth rate.
• Expand the new species into a commercial industry!