The Atlantic Marine Aquaculture Center’s Open Ocean Aquaculture Project harvested the first crop of Atlantic cod ever to be farmed in the open ocean in 2005. The cod were raised at the Project’s offshore demonstration site located six miles off the N.H. coast and 60 feet below the surface.

For researchers, this harvest was the culmination of a three-year experiment designed to develop and test technologies and procedures for farming a new species in the extreme environment of the Gulf of Maine. It built on research and experience that successfully brought crops of native flounder, halibut, haddock, and blue mussels to harvest.

Research results indicate that while cod culture has promise, there are challenges that need to be addressed to insure economic viability. New approaches for addressing these challenges are being tested with a new crop of cod that were stocked in spring 2006. We invite you to stay tuned to learn more about our pioneering effort in open ocean cod farming—from hatch to harvest.

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