WWW.WA S .ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • DECEMBER 2022 49 pumped deep, nutrient-rich, offshore waters to an onshore facillty to culture shellfish and algae. Although in severe disrepair, much of the basic infrastructure still exists at the facility. In addition to the commercial experimental aquaponic facility at the AES, there is an aquaponics facility called ‘Island Fresh Aquaponics’ located on the former site of the Bethelem Sugar Works Factory on Estate Bethelem in St. Croix, which includes six green houses with a footprint of 0.25 ha (Figs. 5-7). Some of the species that could be explored for potential aquaculture development include macroalgae, mollusks such as oysters and scallops, crustaceans like shrimp, echinoderms, or finfish, either for stock enhancement, or for consumption in markets or restaurants. A minimum amount of infrastructure development would be required, including hatchery, grow-out, processing and marketing facilities, albeit with hurricane-grade infrastructure. The USVI has realized the need for establishing and encouraging more aquaculture and mariculture projects in the territory, and are taking steps to improve the rules governing them, and facilitate the responsible development of more aquaculture projects in the territory to enhance the creation of jobs and opportunities in the insular communities of the USVI. Economic incentives for entrepreneurs that can take on the challenge of funding the start up of mariculture operations or have experience FIGURE 5. Island Fresh Aquaponics, a commercial aquaponics facility on St. Croix. FIGURE 6. Nutrient film technique for lettuce production used at Island Fresh Aquaponics. FIGURE 7. Cucumbers and tomatoes grown in an aquaponic media bed at Island Fresh Aquaponics.Aquaponics. ( C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 5 0 )
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