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Recirculation oyster farming gets boost
Lindsey Robbins
Marylanders love their oysters, and a University of Maryland program is doing its part to make them healthier and taste even better.
Ocean Equities of Annapolis hopes to develop a recirculating aquaculture system for oysters, using the aquarium facility at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in Baltimore. The facility produces its own aquatic environments by recycling tap water and adding the necessary minerals.
The project is among the 22 recently selected to receive a total of $1.8 million in grants under the university’s Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program, in which companies team up with university researchers. The grants will be matched by the individual companies.
While similar aquaculture ventures have sparked controversy over their environmental impact, UMBI provides filters and recirculates algae so that little waste is left, said Dorothy Leonard, president of Ocean Equities. She said the process is used for farming fin fish at the facility, and the oyster system will be more simplified.
Because this system allows researchers to monitor what oysters eat and the salinity of their environment, they will also be able to adjust the oyster’s taste, Leonard said.
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