John Ewart, aquaculture specialist for the UD Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service, and Keri Maull, an intern for the Center for the Inland Bays, put hard clams in grow-out cages in Indian River Bay, Delaware.

John Ewart,
Aquaculture & Water Quality Specialist
E-mail: ewart@udel.edu
Phone: 302-645-4060

Publications & Resources Related Programs & Links Aquaculture FAQ

Aquaculture, the husbandry or controlled cultivation of aquatic plants and animals, is a growing science and industry in the United States and around the world. Delaware Sea Grant serves as a primary source for information on all aspects of aquaculture, fisheries, and water quality in Delaware. The Aquaculture Resource Center, established at the UD Lewes campus in 1992 with a small grant from the Delaware Department of Agriculture, is operated by the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service. The center's holdings include an electronically cataloged collection of technical and extension publications, computer software, videos, trade magazines, and periodicals. Additionally, the center's web site receives over 250,000 visits annually and is part of the Sea Grant National Aquaculture Information System (NAIS).

The Marine Advisory Service also is conducting applied research and demonstration work with the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays to evaluate the performance of aquaculture methods for shellfish, water quality, and habitat management in eutrophic coastal estuaries. Delaware is undergoing a period of unprecedented population growth and development in southernmost Sussex County. Water-quality problems have resulted in fish kills, toxic algal blooms, habitat loss, and other environmental problems.