The decline of fishing along the New England coast has spurred increased interest in aquaculture. Most of the world�s fish farms are located in protected waters near land. But space is becoming more and more expensive, and environmental problems have been mounting. Meanwhile, researchers at the University of New Hampshire have been experimenting with growing fish in cages out to sea � in open ocean water. Now, four-years into the project, some hurdles have been conquered � other hurdles remain. New Hampshire Public Radio�s Doug MacPherson reports.
Tape
Soq & TAPE 05: �22� �108� [SFX boat noise, fades by itself.]
TAPE SFX LOADING SHIP: :05 Ok, ok, all clear
AT THE END OF THE STATE COMMERCIAL FISHING PIER IN PORTSMOUTH,
FOUR GRADUATE ASSISTANTS HAVE JUST FINISHED LOADING GEAR. THE STERN OF THE U-N-H RESEARCH VESSEL �GULF CHALLENGER� IS PILED HIGH WITH DIVING GEAR AND 50-POUND BAGS OF FISH FOOD PELLETS.
TAPE SFX BOAT getting underway :03
THE 50-FOOT VESSEL PICKS UP SPEED FOR THE 10-MILE JOURNEY.
IT�S UNSEASONABLY WARM � ALMOST 60-DEGREES. THE CREW IS PLEASED THAT THE WATERS OFF THE ISLES OF SHOALS ARE REPORTED TO BE RELATIVELY CALM FOR LATE AUTUMN. MIKE CHAMBERS MANAGES U-N-H�S OPEN OCEAN AQUACULTURE PROJECT. HE SETTLES INTO HIS CHAIR IN THE WHEELHOUSE.
TAPE 2, MIKE CHAMBERS 319 the whole basis for fish farming is to do it as cheap as possible. And that�s why you see it in-shore and protected. But, having said that, when you go off shore you have vast amounts of water, you have less user conflict over that same space. You have deeper water so you essentially have better dispersion of your effluents. So environmentally speaking it�s much more sound. :21
MOST OF THE AQUACULTURE FARMS IN NEW ENGLAND ARE LOCATED IN PROTECTED WATERS OFF THE COAST OF MAINE. MOST GROW SALMON. BUT THE MARKET FOR SALMON IS SATURATED � COMPETITION IS FIERCE, AND PROFIT MARGINS ARE LEAN. SALMON GROWERS ARE LOOKING TO DIVERSIFY, BUT THEY�VE RUN OUT OF SPACE.
TAPE 2, MIKE CHAMBERS 325 Many of the salmon farms north of here are looking at moving off shore. And they�ve contacted us - we have several different research projects with them in helping them to move off shore. Because they see the future, they see that eventually, if they�re going to expand, they have to move off-shore. But it�s a difficult space to move to. :15
THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF THE PROJECT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT IT CAN BE DONE � EVEN IN WATERS 180-FEET DEEP, WHERE WAVES REACH 25-FEET HIGH IN WINTER. IN-SHORE AQUACULTURE EMPLOYS CAGES THAT FLOAT ON THE WATER�S SURFACE AND REMAIN OPEN AT THE TOP. THE OFF-SHORE PROJECT USES THREE-COMPLETELY ENCLOSED CAGES. EACH CAGE IS SHAPED LIKE A CHILD�S TOP, AND HELD IN PLACE BY ANCHORS. THROUGH THE MIDDLE RUNS A VERTICAL SUPPORT TUBE. WHEN THE TUBE IS FILLED WITH WATER, THE CAGE SINKS.
TAPE 2, MIKE CHAMBERS 099 each of the cages is approximately 12 meters below the surface of the ocean. And once you get away from that high energy zone, where you have stronger currents and wave action, it becomes a very peaceful environment. :12
SO FAR, NO FISH HAVE ESCAPED � A COMMON PROBLEM WITH IN-SHORE AQUACULTURE. ONE CAGE IS FILLED WITH HADDOCK, ANOTHER WITH HALIBUT. THE NEWEST CAGE, INSTALLED IN AUGUST, IS ALSO THE LARGEST � IT�S 80 FEET WIDE, ABOUT 50-FEET HIGH. IN SEPTEMBER IT WAS FILLED WITH 30-THOUSAND COD HATCHED IN TANKS ON LAND. PART OF TODAY�S MISSION IS TO MEASURE THE COD�S GROWTH. AND TO FEED THEM. FEEDING THEM, SAYS CHAMBERS, IS A NEVER ENDING CHORE.
TAPE 2, MIKE CHAMBERS 119 first time for anything you learn a lot. // I think
one of the greatest challenges of raising fish off-shore /// is getting food administered on a daily basis to them. :09
CURRENTLY, RESEARCHERS MUST TRAVEL BY BOAT EVERY TIME THEY FEED THE FISH. THEY PICK UP THE END OF A THREE INCH TUBE FLOATING ON THE WATER�S SURFACE. THE TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE FISH CAGE 12 METERS DOWN. RESEARCHERS USE A PUMP TO FORCE THE FOOD DOWN THE TUBE INTO THE CAGE.
DURING WINTER MONTHS, THERE CAN BE STRETCHES OF TWO, THREE, EVEN FOUR WEEKS AT A TIME WHEN THE WATER IS SO ROUGH THAT FEEDING IS IMPOSSIBLE. SO THE PROJECT HAS BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH AUTOMATIC FEEDING BUOYS.
BACK AT THE U-N-H OCEAN ENGINEERING LABORATORY IN DURHAM, IT�S BRETT FULLERTON�S JOB TO BUILD THE BUOYS.
TAPE 1, SFX CLANGING METAL, BRETT there we go
FULLERTON, A GRADUATE STUDENT IN MARINE ENGINEERING, CLIMBS THROUGH THE HATCH OF A BUOY THAT WILL RISE UP 10-FEET ABOVE THE WATER LINE.
TAPE 1, BRETT FULLERTON 032 we�ve got a steel lower section, and an aluminum upper piece that mates on with this flange.
WHEN FULLY ASSEMBLED, THE BUOY WILL HOLD TWO-THOUSAND POUNDS OF FOOD.
TAPE 1, BRETT FULLERTON 042 we�ve got 22 feet below the waterline. There�s 45-hundred pounds of lead brick that gives the buoy its stability.
THE NEW BUOY IS SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH LATER THIS MONTH. IF ALL
GOES WELL, TWICE A DAY A DIESEL POWERED ON-BOARD MOTOR WILL TURN ITSELF ON, MEASURE OUT THE FOOD, AND PUMP IT INTO THE CAGE. UNDERWATER VIDEO CAMERAS WILL SEND PICTURES OF THE FEEDING FISH BACK TO DURHAM.
TAPE 1, BRETT FULLERTON 100 at the age the fish are now, one ton would last about a month. But next summer, when the fish are growing at a faster rate, we�ll be feeding them more. And this buoy will have a hard time keeping up. One ton will last a couple of days. So they�ll be going out every nice day to fill this one back up.
FULLERTON IS ALREADY AT WORK DESIGNING THE NEXT BUOY, WHICH MAY HOLD 10-TONS OF FOOD OR MORE.
A COMMERCIAL OPEN OCEAN FISH FARM IS STILL THREE-TO-FIVE YEARS AWAY, ACCORDING TO PROJECT LEADER RICHARD LANGEN. LANGEN SAYS GROWING FISH IN THE OPEN OCEAN WILL ALWAYS COST MORE THAN GROWING THEM NEAR SHORE.
TAPE 5 RICHARD LANGEN 277 the cages are much more expensive. The feeding systems are going to be more expensive. The travel time � getting out there, you�re using more fuel. You need a different type of boat. If you move off shore, everything is going to be more expensive. :12
NEVER-THE-LESS, LANGEN IS MORE THAN HOPEFUL. DEMAND FOR SEAFOOD FAR OUTSTRIPS SUPPLY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO IMPOSE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS ON WILD FISHING. FINDING SPACE FOR NEW IN-SHORE FARMS IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.
TAPE 5 RICHARD LANGEN 281 if you�re restricted in how much you can catch, if you�re restricted in how much you can grow in in-shore waters, and if we ever pay attention to how much /// money we�re sending out of the country to import seafood that�s being either fish or farmed in other countries, then there�s going to have to be some means of production. :16
TAPE SFX CLANGING METAL OF DIVE BELTS
BACK ON BOARD THE GULF CHALLENGER, CHAMBERS AND ANOTHER DIVER ARE STRAPPING ON THEIR GEAR AND BRIEFING THE CREW
TAPE 2, MIKE CHAMBERS 419. We�re gonna collect roughly 50 -60-70 juvenile cod. And we�re going to put them into this fish cage here, this small fish cage
TAPE SFX: SPLASH 459 meet you at the bow. SFX AIR TANKS, SPLASH, DIVER IN THE WATER
How�s the water? It�s nice. Refreshing!
WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE SURFACE IS IN THE HIGH 40�S.
TAPE 2, SFX: BOAT ENGINE NOISE
THE DIVER�S RE-EMERGE HALF AN HOUR LATER WITH TWO SMALL CAGES OF SAMPLES.
SFX 270 UNDERWAY, COMING HOME.
TAPE 309 �21 /// 88� -- that�s a good size.
AS THE GULF CHALLENGER STEAMS HOME, MIKE CHAMBERS AND A RESEARCH ASSISTANT MEASURE AND RECORD THE LENGTH IN CENTIMETERS AND WEIGHT IN GRAMS OF EACH COD IN THEIR SAMPLE.
TAPE, RECORDING NUMBERS: �19.5 /// 79 /// 21.5 /// 98�
TAPE MIKE they�re looking like they almost doubled their weight.
IF THESE FISH GROW FAST ENOUGH, OPEN WATER AQUACULTURE MIGHT JUST PROVE PROFITABLE. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I�M DOUG MACPHERSON
TAPE: �22// 108� SFX BOAT NOISE, FADE OUT :05
