Harvesting Innovation: Enhancing Sustainable Aquaculture with FLUPSY Technology

Project Overview

ONE24-462
Project Type: Partnership
Funds awarded in 2024: $29,686.00
Projected End Date: 05/31/2026
Grant Recipient: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Region: Northeast
State: New York
Project Leader:
Harrison Tobi
Email
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County

Commodities

  • Animals: shellfish

Practices

  • Animal Production: aquaculture
  • Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research, technical assistance
  • Farm Business Management: value added
  • Natural Resources/Environment: carbon sequestration, habitat enhancement
  • Sustainable Communities: partnerships

    Proposal abstract:

    Aquaculture, particularly shellfish farming, plays a pivotal role in the United States' seafood production. However, there are a number of barriers that shellfish growers commonly have to face every year including reduced waterfront access, limited availability to equipment, lack of seed stock within the community, and inadequate crop protection. The focus of this project is to offer measurable solutions to alleviate these challenges, thereby reducing growers' investment costs and fostering a more resilient and prosperous aquaculture sector.

    Collaborating with Oysterponds Shellfish Company and Safe Harbor Stirling Marina, our project focuses on deploying a 24-barrel FLUPSY to optimize oyster growth while minimizing negative environmental impact. The objectives of our research include accelerating and quantifying the effects of FLUPSYs on oyster seed stock mortality rates (<4mm) and water quality in marinas. By filling crucial data gaps, we aim to facilitate the procurement of crop insurance for small seed stock, increase seed stock availability for oyster farms in the Peconic Bay Estuary System, and showcase FLUPSYs as a means to improve marina water quality, thus encouraging their adoption by other marinas.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    This project seeks to:

    1. Assess and quantify the impact of FLUPSY technology on oyster seed stock mortality rates (<4mm) and marina water quality.
    2. Generate essential data to facilitate the expansion of crop insurance to cover small seed stock (<4mm).
    3. Promote the adoption of FLUPSYs to enhance marine ecosystems and combat nonpoint source pollution.
    4. Cultivate and supply larger seed stock to nearby farms to support the long-term sustainability and economic growth of the aquaculture industry.
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.