The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is working with the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory (DISL) to establish an integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) system at an offshore demonstration site in Alabama, 2.8 km south of the Fort Morgan peninsula to develop aquaculture in the region. The IMTA structure is based on a successful UNH approach called the “AquaFort.” The recent assembly and installation of an AquaFort in the Gulf of America represented the first instance of an AquaFort being deployed outside of New Hampshire state waters, without the assistance of UNH marine resources and infrastructure. As such, this presented novel challenges for an IMTA deployment in Alabama state waters.
The project required considerable coordination between UNH, USM, and DISL personnel, and was completed in several phases. The first, platform assembly, occurred in mid-October 2025, and was assisted by personnel from Innovasea Systems, the company that fabricated the HDPE components. Phase two involved deployment of the four-point mooring system and installation of the AquaFort at the offshore demonstration site with the help of local marine contractors. Installation of the copper alloy mesh and nursery netting constituted the final phase of the deployment.
The assembly and installation of the AquaFort IMTA system in a new environment in the Gulf of America yielded valuable insights that will inform future deployments and support aquaculture development nationwide.