Rosenstiel School researchers will contribute expertise in ocean science, environmental forecasting, and aquaculture innovation through a national partnership focused on strengthening America's seafood supply.
MIAMI — June 9, 2026 — The University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science is a core partner in a new national effort to strengthen America's seafood supply through aquaculture research and technology development.
Led by the University of New Hampshire, the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM) was established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) following a highly competitive application process. With approximately $13.5 million in initial funding, the first-of-its-kind cooperative institute will support research and partnerships that advance responsible, innovative, and cost-effective domestic seafood production while helping strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the U.S. seafood sector.
The five-year institute brings together researchers from academia, industry, and nonprofit organizations to address challenges facing seafood producers and consumers. CIFARM researchers will develop technologies to improve aquaculture operations, apply artificial intelligence to optimize production systems, advance demonstration-scale projects, evaluate offshore farming systems, study ocean conditions that influence seafood production, and analyze seafood markets.
“The Rosenstiel School's expertise in aquaculture, ocean observing, environmental forecasting, marine ecosystems, and coastal resilience will help provide the scientific foundation needed to support responsible growth of U.S. aquaculture,” said Ben Kirtman, dean of the Rosenstiel School. “Through CIFARM, we look forward to collaborating with partners across the country to develop science-based solutions that strengthen domestic seafood production while supporting healthy ocean ecosystems and coastal communities.”
“We have a long history of advancing the science and training the workforce that supports sustainable seafood production. This work builds on the school’s leadership in pioneering sustainable marine aquaculture and helping prepare the next generation of aquaculture professionals,” said John Stieglitz, research associate professor in the Rosenstiel School's Department of Marine Biology and Ecology and director of Sustainable Seafood Research and Development.
The United States imports more than $24 billion in seafood each year, much of it produced through aquaculture overseas. CIFARM is helping address this national opportunity by advancing domestic marine aquaculture, strengthening seafood supply chains, supporting American producers, enhancing food security, and meeting growing consumer demand for high-quality seafood.
The Rosenstiel School is part of a national coalition led by the University of New Hampshire that includes New Hampshire Sea Grant, Florida Sea Grant, the University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, California Sea Grant, the University of Hawaiʻi, and Hawaiʻi Sea Grant.
In addition to research, the institute will support education, outreach, and workforce development to advance the future of marine aquaculture in the United States.