Stabilizing and expanding bivalve shellfish seed supply: The mobile oyster hatchery

Oyster Seed Holdings Inc has designed and successfully commissioned a one-of-a-kindmobile hatchery that has now successfully integrated a novel high-density larval setting system"True Cultchless Setting" or TCS developed in Phase I to realize the concept of a fully functionalmoderately scaled mobile oyster hatchery (MOH). The goal of this Phase II proposal is to test theability of this concept to disrupt the norms of shellfish hatchery production by commercializingagile hatchery capacity.Supporting this goal are two primary objectives: (1) evaluate the relativesuccess of MOH operation in three locations two of which are on distant shores and (2) evaluateproduction costs and capacity of the modular hatchery.Sites for operation have been carefullychosen to be co-located with existing shellfish hatcheries to ground the relative performance amongfacilities providing repeated measures on site time of season and over multiple seasons.Evaluation includes a wide range of general hatchery performance metrics as well as labor andproduction costs to assess the commercial viability of the MOH.The impact of an operational "turn-key" moderate scale mobile oyster hatchery capable ofautonomous single seed production is revolutionary and serves as the genesis for a novelconcept: numerous moderately scaled relatively inexpensive modular shellfishhatcheries operating simultaneously to realize redundant diverse reliable and -- cumulatively --large scale production of shellfish seed.This work will contribute to program goal 7: Provide all Americans access to a secure food supplyby increasing and stabilizing shellfish seed supply.