The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources/Marine Resources Division (ADCNR/MRD) maintains the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center (CPMC) located in the northern Gulf of Mexico in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The primary goal of CPMC is to produce larvae and juveniles of recreationally important finfish species from native broodstock for wild stock enhancement. Additionally, some fish production may be used for age and growth, movement, and habitat use studies.
Facilities include a 2135m2 building containing rooms for broodstock maturation and spawning, algae production, live food production, egg incubation, larval rearing, and juvenile holding. Multiple recirculating pump and filtration units can support small-scale replicated studies. The hatchery compliments additional infrastructure including: 35, 80m2 lined ponds, a greenhouse complex containing recirculating systems, and two water supply pipelines; 2080 L/min of brackish water and 2275 L/min of full-strength seawater from the Gulf of Mexico.
ADCNR/MRD has provided pond and greenhouse space to researchers from in-state academic institutions to study water quality and feeding schedules and nutrition studies. ADCNR/MRD is available to investigate additional partnerships with industry, federal and state agencies, and other academic institutions to advance sustainable marine aquaculture.