As the shellfish aquaculture industry in the United States has grown, so has the need for applied research specifically focused on optimized production and farm efficiency. The United States Department of Agriculture supports state land-based agricultural experiment stations that investigate potential improvements to food production and agribusinesses. Much like land-based agriculture, there is need for country-wide applied research in shellfish aquaculture to advance the industry. Multiple land grant universities and public entities across the United States utilize shellfish leases, also referred to as farms, to conduct relevant research on shellfish aquaculture production; however, these entities often operate independently with minimal communication between one another, which hinders the advancement of the industry. Improving communication and establishing collaborative projects between research farms across the country would likely improve responsiveness to industry needs, open possibilities of standard data collection, and provide a comprehensive understanding of how issues affect different regions of the United States.
The focus of this project is to bring these institutions together to increase communication of current research focuses within applied shellfish aquaculture research and create a collaborative network. A comprehensive list of participating facilities in the United States will be published in the format of an ArcGIS Story Map, allowing colleagues to discover potential collaborators, and easily find current contacts for facilities. In addition to the comprehensive list, a “Shellfish Research Farms” networking group has been curated in Aquaculture Information Exchange and will be maintained to facilitate communication. This will serve as a catalyst for the network to expand, leading to increased support for the shellfish industry.