Scientists from the University of Rhode Island and GreenFins, LLC, are taking the first steps in developing the techniques to raise tuna from egg to harvest size while creating a new sustainable industry in Rhode Island. The project is the first effort in the United States to breed tuna in a land-based aquaculture facility to meet the growing demand for one of the ocean's top predators.
"Worldwide demand for tuna increases yearly, even as tuna stocks are dwindling precipitously," said Terry Bradley, a URI professor of fisheries and aquaculture. "What we're trying to do is produce fish in captivity and take the pressure off the wild stocks."
Bradley and Peter Mottur, director of GreenFins, are starting the process by trying to get a few wild-caught tuna to spawn in a URI tank, but it is a challenging undertaking.
For more information, visit the University of Rhode Island website.