CRMC 2006 Aquaculture report says industry growing

April 23, 2007, WAKEFIELD – Rhode Island’s aquaculture industry made strides in 2006, according to the Coastal Resources Management Council’s 2006 annual report, “Aquaculture in Rhode Island.” The industry grew in every area, from value and revenue to production and the number of farms in the state.

In 2006, the farm gate value (the value for the product paid to the farmer) of the state’s aquaculture products increased 81 percent, the ninth double-digit increase in the past 11 years. For the first time, the total value of Rhode Island aquaculture exceeded $1 million ($1,348,525), a marked increase from 2005’s value of $744,319 and a value of $572,994 in 2004. According to the report, the number of farms in Rhode Island also grew in 2006 from 25 to 28 farms. These additional operating farms resulted in an increase in acreage under cultivation to 99 acres. The production per acre value of aquaculture in Rhode Island was $13,621, a large increase from 2005 and 2004, years in which the production per acre value held at $8,757 and $8,185, respectively. Since 2002, the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative, funded through the efforts of Senator Jack Reed, has been instrumental in aiding industry growth.

In 2006, aquaculture-related industries in the state experienced gross revenue pf $3.5 million during the year, and regulatory agencies charged with overseeing and managing the industry continued to streamline the permitting process.

This year’s aquaculture report includes updates and industry information contributed by the state’s leading aquaculture experts, including Dr. David Bengtson, chair of the Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Rhode Island; Dr. Timothy Scott, director of the Roger Williams University Center for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED); Michael McGiveney, president of the Rhode Island Shellfisherman’s Association (RISA); Dr. Barry Costa-Pierce, executive director of Rhode Island Sea Grant (RISG); Perry Raso, president of the Ocean State Aquaculture Association; Dr. Robert Rheault, president of the East Coast Shellfish Grower’s Association; and Ken Ayars, chief of the RI Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Agriculture.

“The annual CRMC report shows that while the industry is still small in Rhode Island, aquaculture experienced significant growth in 2006,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “We credit our regulations and policies, which we are constantly seeking to improve, as well as our good working relationship with industry members, for this growth. We look forward to helping the industry succeed and flourish into the future.”

The report also contains a special section with a look at the interesting history of Rhode Island oyster aquaculture, by Michael Rice of URI. According to Rice’s brief history, Rhode Island’s first aquaculture legislation was passed in 1844. The special section also includes a survey of major diseases affecting Rhode Island cultured bivalves, by Dr. Marta Gomez-Chiarri, also of URI. The full report is available at the CRMC’s web site, http://www.crmc.ri.gov/aquaculture/aquareport06.pdf.

Oyster floats at sunset in the Blount Oyster Pond on Prudence Island. Photo courtesy of Dr. Tim Scott, Roger Williams University.