Evaluation of a novel recirculating aquaculture center for research, education, and extension at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa

Recent increases in demand for sustainable aquaculture have been accompanied by a rising interest in its practice, including the continued development of inland recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The transfer of knowledge necessary to optimize learning outcomes for aquaculture students and practitioners relies on accessibility to versatile state-of-the art facilities. A new land-based aquaculture facility called the Tuahine Aquaculture Research and Education Center (TAREC) was built at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and designed to integrate research, education, and extension activities. With two RAS and a compact footprint, TAREC was designed to hold freshwater (FW), seawater (SW), or both FW and SW aquatic organisms simultaneously, including the option for modifications along a salinity gradient under experimental conditions. An account of the requirements and specifications for building the system is provided along with an initial trial comparing growth rates of the euryhaline Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus , reared in FW and artificial seawater (ASW) when stocked at ~0.6 kg/m3. Over three months, fish reared in ASW grew faster and had lower feed conversion ratios than those in FW. These findings not only validate salinity-dependent growth trials in RAS but also demonstrate TAREC’s capacity as a versatile experimental facility for conducting fundamental and applied research and training for the next generation of aquaculture researchers and practitioners.