CRMC to make aquaculture presentation to towns

July 26, 2007, WAKEFIELD – The Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and experts from the University of Rhode Island and Roger Williams University will be conducting an informational presentation on aquaculture in Rhode Island to a group of municipalities on Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Narragansett Town Hall.

The presentation will feature speakers Timothy Scott, Ph.D., professor and Director of the Center for Economic and Environmental Development at Roger Williams University; Michael Rice, Ph.D., and professor in the Department of Fisheries, Animal & Veterinary Science at URI; and David Alves, Aquaculture Coordinator for the CRMC. Dr. Scott will discuss current aquaculture research in Rhode Island. Dr. Rice will brief the group on the history of the aquaculture industry in the state, and Mr. Alves will explain the CRMC permitting process for all aquaculture projects.

In an effort to provide as much education as possible to everyone interested, the CRMC has invited town council members and other local officials from the towns of Block Island, Charlestown, Narragansett, North Kingstown, South Kingstown and Westerly.

Aquaculture can be a sustainable, ecologically valuable process that benefits all of the citizens of the state. It helps clean the state’s waters and contributes to the economic bottom line. The CRMC has worked with coastal towns over the years to ensure that aquaculture development is sited in relatively unproductive areas of the state’s waters to minimize user conflicts.

While it is a small part of the state’s economic engine, aquaculture plays a vital role in commerce and scientific research in Rhode Island. In 2006 alone, 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. The production per acre value of aquaculture in Rhode Island was $13,621 in 2006, a large increase from 2005 and 2004, years in which the production per acre value held at $8,757 and $8,185, respectively. In 2006, aquaculture-related industries in the state experienced gross revenue of $3.5 million during the year.

“The CRMC realizes that it is necessary for aquaculture farmers, municipalities and state agencies to work together on aquaculture projects,” said CRMC Chairman Michael M. Tikoian. “Because of this we think it would be beneficial for all of the stakeholders to meet and learn more about the industry and ask any questions they might have.”

For more information on aquaculture go to the CRMC web site at http://www.crmc.ri.gov/aquaculture.html, and for the full 2006 aquaculture report, go to http://www.crmc.ri.gov/aquaculture/aquareport06.pdf.

For more information on aquaculture, contact David Alves, CRMC Aquaculture Coordinator, at 783-3370.