SENATOR KOHL TOURS GLWI AND IS RECOGNIZED FOR

AQUACULTURE SUPPORT

By Casey Twanow

Photo: Randy Metzger

Senator Herb Kohl visited the Great Lakes WATER Institute (GLWI) on February 22 and was recognized by GLWI and UWM for his advocacy and support of aquaculture in the Great Lakes region.

Kohl helped secure funding to establish the USDA/ARS Aquaculture Cooperative at GLWI in 2004 and has supported its continued funding. The program, which works to advance and stimulate commercial aquaculture for food production, has received about $1.4 million in federal funds since its inception. It is one of about a dozen such programs nationwide, and the only one of its kind in the Great Lakes region.

Kohl joined GLWI director Val Klump, senior scientist Fred Binkowski and others on a tour of the aquaculture facilities, which include an 8,000 gallon, commercial-scale Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). In the RAS, yellow perch are raised to market size in only 12 months, technology that has been adopted by private, commercial aquaculture facilities.

Aquaculture is growing in importance as populations rise and the wild, commercial catch of many fish species declines. In a recent study published in Science, several ecologists and economists predicted the collapse of all commercially harvested fish species by 2048 if current trends continue. Aquaculture can help fill the gap between the supply of wild fish and the demand for seafood and provide an economic opportunity for the Great Lakes region, which currently produces less than two percent of US seafood.

After his tour, Kohl spoke to a crowd of about 75 scientists, faculty, staff and guests, saying, “This institute certainly represents our future in terms of our water supply and our food supply.” The senator also said one of his most important efforts in Washington is to support funding for research in all parts of the university system, and “continue to grow all the research done here at UWM.”

Future GLWI research will increase the social gains and environmental sustainability of commercial aquaculture. Binkowski hopes GLWI research will help make urban aquaculture a reality, bringing a source of jobs and a high-quality food product to inner-city areas. Future research will also include developing plant-based nutrition for commercially raised fish. Since farmed fish are typically fed fish meal made from wild catch, a plant-based diet could reduce the environmental impacts of aquaculture and minimize the transmission of contaminants and disease to farmed fish.

Klump presented Kohl with an oversize fishing lure in appreciation of senator’s support of aquaculture research. Klump joked that it could help educate colleagues in Washington about the admirable size of Great Lakes fish.

Photo: Randy Metzger

In anticipation of the event’s conclusion – a fish fry for the senator and all attendees – UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago said, “While I have visited many faculty across campus to talk with them about their research, today will be the first time we actually eat the research!”

The 60 pounds of yellow perch, breaded and fried under supervision of GLWI researcher Don Szmania, were raised in GLWI’s aquaculture facilities.

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