DURHAM, N.H. — (June 8, 2026) — Good news for seafood lovers: The University of New Hampshire (UNH) will lead a new national effort to grow and strengthen America’s seafood supply through aquaculture research. After a highly competitive application process, UNH, which has a long history of innovation in the farming of aquatic species, was selected to oversee the first-of-its-kind NOAA Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM).
With approximately $13.5 million in initial funding, CIFARM will support research and partnerships that will make it safer, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective to produce seafood domestically.
“The United States has unrivalled infrastructure to be a leader in seafood production with responsible aquaculture,” said David Fredriksson, director of UNH’s Center for Sustainable Seafood Systems. “We want to be thoughtful and proceed in partnership with communities to produce seafood that fits the wide range of ecosystems, cultures and economies for each region. The goal is to expand markets, build working waterfront capabilities, and grow an educational structure for seafood economic growth and marine resource stewardship on a national scale.”
The new five-year Cooperative Institute will harness partnerships with researchers and focus on solving real-world challenges that affect both seafood producers and consumers. Researchers will develop new cutting-edge technologies to improve fish farming and other forms of aquaculture, use artificial intelligence to optimize operations, advance aquaculture through demonstration farms, and study ocean conditions to better predict and protect seafood harvests. They will also test offshore farming systems and analyze seafood markets to help bring products to consumers more efficiently.
UNH will lead a broad national network of partners, including New Hampshire Sea
Grant, the University of Miami, Florida Sea Grant, University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, California Sea Grant, University of Hawaii, and Hawaii Sea Grant.
NOAA leaders emphasized that expanding U.S. aquaculture is key to building a more resilient food system.
“The United States is finally recognizing aquaculture as a vital complement to our world-class fisheries,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “We look forward to collaborating with these exemplary partners to continue to unlock the potential of this industry in the United States.”
At its core, this initiative is about putting more high-quality, sustainably produced seafood on American plates — and reducing the nation’s heavy reliance on imports. Today, Americans consume more than $24 billion worth of seafood each year, about half of which is farmed overseas. The new Cooperative Institute is designed to help change that and for consumers that means more reliable access to fresh, healthy seafood — and greater confidence in how it’s produced. CIFARM will deliver benefits to coastal communities and consumers, and offer new opportunities like jobs and economic growth, in this rapidly evolving industry.
CIFARM leverages UNH’s decade-plus leadership in aquaculture innovation as well as the university’s world-class marine infrastructure and longstanding commitment to sustainability. UNH's AquaFort offshore aquaculture research and training platform hosts the Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture program, growing sought-after steelhead trout along with sugar kelp and mussels, which extract excess nutrients from the fish. Other marine facilities include an ocean engineering test tank and wave tank; the Judd Gregg Marine Research Complex and pier in Portsmouth Harbor; Jackson Estuarine Laboratory on Great Bay; and the 50-foot R/V Gulf Challenger and several other research vessels.
More information is available at https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-strengthens-commitment-to-aquaculture-through-new-cooperative-institute .
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About the University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire inspires innovation and transforms lives in our state, nation and world. More than 15,000 students from 50 states and 87 countries engage with an award-winning faculty in top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, health and human services, liberal arts and the sciences across more than 200 programs of study. A Carnegie Classification R1, land, sea and space grant institution, UNH has FY25 research expenditures of more than $188 million, to further explore and define the frontiers of our world.