World Aquaculture December 2019

WWW.WA S.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2019 17 were most appropriate for local conditions. Several achievements stand out as examples of how the early investments in infrastructure and planning paid off. One of the first was the development of culture methods for the Malaysian prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii at the AFRC, which created a small industry. Other notable research efforts included closing the life cycle of striped mullet Mugil cephalus , which then led to the development of another native species, Pacific threadfin Polydactylus sexfilis , known in Hawaiian as moi, by the Oceanic Institute (OI). Work also began on designing sea cages for open-ocean aquaculture in the 1960s which, in combination with mass culture hatchery methods, eventually led to the first open-ocean commercial aquaculture lease in marine waters of the U.S. to farmmoi in 1999 (Cates 2006, Helsley 2007). A panoply of other fish, invertebrate and algae species were also tested for aquaculture potential, offering a wide range of species that can be successfully cultured. There is now a well-established knowledge base for production of common aquaculture species such as the tilapias in Hawaiʻi, as well as for unique, native species with high economic potential. The Hawaiian Islands also have every known climatic condition except for tundra, and an abundance of fresh, brackish and saltwater resources. The latter includes the cold, deep ocean water provided by HOST. These factors combine to create dozens of possible scenarios for commercial aquaculture awaiting investment and further development. Moreover, the availability of collaborative research facilities and trained personnel make Hawaiʻi one of the best places to carry out aquaculture R&D. Economic andMarket Forces The demand for seafood in Hawaiʻi is 37 lb/capita or slightly more than twice the 16 lb/capita for the U.S. population as a whole. Of the 50.4 million lb/yr consumed in the state, approximately 49 percent is imported (Loke et al . 2012). The opportunity to produce and market any aquatic product locally is nearly unlimited in terms of consumer acceptance and demand, given the multicultural resident population and the nearly 10 million visitors per year who crave seafood (DBEDT 2018). Thus far, export products have only been successfully developed in a few cases, primarily due to high production and shipping costs in an island setting. Consequently R&D efforts have been oriented towards high-value specialty products, most of which were identified initially more than 50 years ago. The top aquaculture products in terms of farm-gate value are microalgae, shrimp broodstock and bivalve seed, none of which contribute directly to increasing local seafood supply. Small-scale, backyard and aquaponics operations do contribute to local food security by supplying fish and vegetables. There were 88 aquaculture farms in 2017, with 15 of these accounting for 75 percent of annual sales (NASS 2018). The total value of aquaculture products from Hawaiʻi was $76.367 million in 2017 (2018 NASS) and the industry employed 462 workers. Microalgae production accounts for $35.2 million (46 percent of total production). Cyanotech Corporation, a vertically integrated company, is the largest producer of microalgae products, including BioAstin® Natural Astaxanthin and Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica for the nutraceutical industry. As there are relatively few large companies in Hawaiʻi, data for shellfish, fish and other products are lumped into the “other” category to protect proprietary information but this category represents 54 percent ($41.177 million) of total aquaculture value. Most are exports of shellfish seed and shrimp broodstock. Shrimp broodstock exports were estimated at 800,000 animals in 2015 with a value of $100 per pair. In the same year, shrimp broodstock became Hawaiʻi’s top export, replacing bottled water (Shrimp News International 2016, Honolulu Star Advertiser 2015). Hawaiʻi ranks sixth or seventh in farm gate value among the 48 U.S. states that produce aquaculture products. Facilities for Research, Education and Industry Development An important force in the expansion of aquaculture in Hawaiʻi is the presence of several major facilities that host research, training and extension activities related to aquaculture. The “crown jewel” of these is the HOST Park administered by NELHA located in Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island (Fig. 2). Designed to facilitate energy and aquaculture-based economic development, the park includes infrastructure for the distribution of deep and surface seawater to 870 acres of land and a 3,290-acre adjacent marine research corridor. Awealth of pre-permitted site conditions makes it an ideal location for aquaculture R&D. The tech park currently hosts around 50 companies, including approximately 20 aquaculture companies, many of which are among the oldest and most successful in Hawaiʻi. Among the species commercially produced at HOST Park are microalgae, abalone, marine fish, bivalves, seaweed, ornamental fish, seahorses and octopus. Many of the aquaculture tenants are active in research and commercial production. HOST Park has grown steadily over the years since the 1970s. HOST Park provides a dynamic aquaculture ecosystem and continues to accept new innovative projects and companies on its remaining available 200 acres. It offers many critical resources to new start-up companies, including business services, laboratory services and turnkey facilities. Recently, a specialized accelerator program run by HATCHAquaculture Accelerator was established. The first HATCH cohort program started in August 2019 at HOST Park and included visits to Norway and Singapore (the other two HATCH ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 8 ) FIGURE 2. The HOST Park located at Keahole Point, near Kailua-Kona. The largest aquaculture companies operated here due to the availability of deep ocean water and other services. Photo: Shaun Moss.