58 JUNE 2019 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG to MOF’s enterprise are numerous. First, it will help fulfill the existing demand for oyster seed in RI and neighboring states, thus fostering expansion of the industry. Second, it will diversify the line of seafood products served at MOB that are locally produced at the farm. Finally, it will contribute to the vertical integration of the MOF and MOB so the company does not have to rely on external sources of seed and can self-sustain the restaurant’s demand for oysters and other seafood products. The hatchery will also play an important role in Rhode Island’s oyster reef restoration activities by providing seed for restoration initiatives such as the remote setting of oyster spat on oyster-shell substrate. Through the hatchery, MOF also aims to produce bay scallop seed to introduce farming of this species in Rhode Island. Bay scallops are in high demand but wild populations in the northeast USA have collapsed since the 1980s following widespread brown tide events. Wild bay scallop abundances have not returned to historic levels, resulting in the import of most of the US bay scallop supply, with China, Japan and Canada as leading exporters to the US (NOAA, 2016). Locally-sourced scallops represent an untapped niche market in Rhode Island that MOF is planning to pursue in the next phase of its operation. To this end, MOF is applying to add an additional 1.2-ha lease to its existing shellfish farm. The proposed site is located in a deeper part of the pond to accommodate submerged lantern nets for the culture of bay scallops. The lease application, currently being processed by the RI Coastal Management Resources Council, faces numerous objections, with waterfront property owners and other users pointing to the competing interests between recreational (e.g. waterskiing, wakeboarding or power boating) and aquaculture usage of state waters. In this complex social-economic landscape Raso advocates for the expansion and support of aquaculture. The farming of Rhode Island waters is going to be an integral part of the balance between recreational and commercial use of our waterways. Raso sees Rhode Island’s coastal ponds as multipurpose, where aquaculture ventures can be established in harmony with other users. As farmers it is not only our job to come up with innovative ways to grow our product, we must also be responsible and engage in dialogue, education, and compromise to meet the goals to create a more resilient and local food production system. Prof. Barry Costa-Pierce, an expert on ocean food systems notes the “Perry has built one of the best examples of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture which guides aquaculture development to be a strategy for the integration of the activity within the wider ecosystem such that it promotes sustainable development, equity and resilience of interlinked social-ecological systems.” By continually adapting to the environment and markets, the ambition of Matunuck Oyster Farm to produce local farm-raised bay scallops might be realized in the near future. Notes Justine Sauvage, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Perry Raso, Matunuck Oyster Bar, South Kingstown, RI, USA References Beutel D. 2019. Aquaculture in Rhode Island. 2018 Status Report. Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council. www.crmc.ri.gov/aquaculture.html NOAA. 2016. Commercial Fisheries Statistics. NOAA Office of Science and Technology. www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/commercialfisheries/foreign-trade/. The Matunuck Oyster Bar, located on the inlet to Potter Pond, offers a yearround patio dining experience. The mechanical tumbler used to sort oysters is operated from the dock adjacent to the restaurant. The Matunuck Oyster Bar offers a casual seafood dining experience, with views overlooking Potter Pond and the Matunuck Oyster Farm. “Perry has built one of the best examples of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture which guides aquaculture development to be a strategy for the integration of the activity within the wider ecosystem such that it promotes sustainable development, equity and resilience of interlinked social-ecological systems.” — Barry Costa-Pierce
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