FISHING…INDOORS?

A big part of my childhood was spent fishing with my Dad at our lake in Rosebud, MO. I learned how important it is to “manage” a lake’s ecosystem. When I was a kid I wanted to catch and release all the fish because I worried that we might run out of fish. It turns out, that catching fish in the right amounts per year is a critical part of maintaining a healthy and sustainable lake ecology.

The same cannot be said for our oceans. With chronic over-fishing and a rapidly deteriorating habitat, our oceanic fish are disappearing at an alarming rate.  Is aquaculture a sustainable solution? There are many different forms of aquaculture, from “in” ocean to “indoor”. The verdict is still out, but one thing is clear: continuing to fish the oceans at our current rate is not the solution.

JEMA is designing a new 130,000 sq. ft. aquaculture plant. The plant will incorporate the entire life-cycle of fish, from fertilizing eggs to harvesting full size fish. Our goal is to create a sustainable facility where natural sunlight, borrowed water and waste are all managed in a “closed” recycled loop.