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MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY'S CENTER FOR AQUATIC INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY (CATI) IS REQUESTING ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE FROM USDA-NIFA TO RENOVATE AND MODERNIZE ONE OF THE NATION'S KEY AQUACULTURE RESEARCH FACILITIES WHERE BOTH SPONSORED AND UNSPONSORED RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING TAKE PLACE. WE BELIEVE CATI IS AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR A RESEARCH FACILITIES ACT PROGRAM (RFAP) AWARD AS IT HAS BECOME WORN WITH USE AND AGE, SUCH THAT IT CANNOT EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF MODERN AQUACULTURE RESEARCH IN THE AREA FOR WHICH THE FACILITY WAS INTENDED. HOWEVER, IF REPAIRED AND RENOVATED, CATI WOULD CONTINUE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF CURRENT AND FUTURE PRODUCERS, WHILE PROVIDING CONTINUED TRAINING IN STATE-OF-THE-ART AQUACULTURE RESEARCH FOR A NEW GENERATION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS, UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, INTERNS, VISITING SCIENTISTS, AND FACULTY, THEREBY EXPANDING THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THE FACILITY.AQUACULTURE, INCLUDING MARICULTURE, IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWINGSEGMENTS OF AGRICULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH TECHNOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES EMERGING AT AN ACCELERATED PACE. MOREOVER, THE RECENT CONVERGENCE OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES IN AQUACULTURE (E.G., NUTRITION, PHYSIOLOGY, DISEASE AND ONE HEALTH, REPRODUCTION, GENOMICS, AND ENGINEERING), AND THE CROSS-FERTILIZATION THAT HAS CHARACTERIZED CONTEMPORARY AQUATIC SCIENCE WITHIN ACADEMIC SETTINGS, HAVE MADE COLLABORATION AT MSU A CENTERPIECE OF THE LAST DECADE. AS THESE NEW SCIENTIFIC OPPORTUNITIES AND PROCESSES HAVE EMERGED, MISSISSIPPI STATE'S AQUACULTURE RESEARCH FACILITY REQUIREMENTS HAVE ALSO EVOLVED AND CHANGED. HOWEVER, CATI IS QUICKLY LOSING ITS USEFULNESS AS A CUTTING-EDGE FACILITY FOR MEETING TODAY'S EDUCATIONAL AND SAFETY AQUACULTURE STANDARDS; WHILE THE FACILITY BECOMES ANTIQUATED, WE ARE SEEING A RESURGENT INTEREST IN AQUACULTURE CAREERS BY NEWLY REGISTERED FRESHMAN. THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE AT MSU IS EXPERIENCING A CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC WITH A GREATER RACIAL AND GENDER DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS ENTERING OUR PROGRAM AND EXPRESSING INTEREST IN AQUACULTURE AS AN AGRICULTURE CAREER FIELD. THE DEPARTMENT HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MORE CAREER PATHWAYS FOR UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-REPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS INTERESTED IN AQUACULTURE POSITIONS WITHIN INDUSTRY (E.G., CATFISH FARM WORKERS, PROCESSORS, AND MARICULTURE POSITIONS), FEDERAL AGENCIES (E.G., USDA-ARS, -APHIS, -FSIS, -USFS, -NRCS, -WILDLIFE SERVICES), STATE FISH HATCHERIES, AND UNIVERSITIES. HOWEVER, A MODERN, RENOVATED MSU AQUACULTURE FACILITY IS CRITICAL FOR PROVIDING THE MOST CURRENT AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE THAT OUR GRADUATES WILL BE EXPOSED TO ONCE THEY MOVE INTO THEIR NEW CAREERS.HISTORICALLY, CATI WAS AN IMPORTANT PLAYER IN AIDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE U.S. CATFISH INDUSTRY FROM THE 1970S TO EARLY 2000S. DURING THIS TIME, CATFISH (ICTALURUS SPP.) AQUACULTURE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED AND REACHED A PEAK IN PRODUCTION ACREAGE. RESEARCH CONDUCTED AT THE MSU FACILITY PL,AYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THIS GROWTH AND SUCCESS BY ADVANCING STUDIES ON NUTRITION, DISEASE, PRODUCTION, ECONOMICS AND WATER QUALITY (E.G., ALGAL TOXICOSIS) . THE NEED FOR A STATE-OF-THE-ART, MODERNIZED BUILDING WITH INCREASED RESEARCH CAPACITY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY BY OUR COMMERCIAL PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE REGION, STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES WORKING IN AQUACULTURE, AND MAFES HAS IDENTIFIED THIS BUILDING AS ONE OF ITS TOP URGENCIES FOR UPDATING AND IS INVESTED IN MATCHING THE RFAP FUNDS 1:1. INVESTING IN THE FACILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND EXPANDING THE CAPACITY OF CATI IS IMPORTANT TO PRESENT AND FUTURE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY AND AQUATIC NATURAL RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY. THANKS TO WORK CONDUCTED AT CATI, SOUTHEAST CATFISH FARMERS ARE NOW PRODUCING THEIR FISH ON LESS LAND FOR LOWER COSTS, WHILE ALSO REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; YET THERE IS STILL MUCH TO LEARN AND A NEWER, MODERNIZED FACILITY WILL HELP SUPPORT A NEW ERA OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY WORKING TOGETHER WITH PRODUCERS.THE CONDITION OF OUR 25-YEAR OLD RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE EXPERIMENTAL ROOM (23' X 21') IS SUCH THAT IT IS TOO SMALL TO MATCH CURRENT AND EXPECTED VOLUME FOR REPLICATED STUDIES AND DIVERSITY OF FISH SPECIES NEEDED AND REQUIRES ACCESSIBILITY AND SAFETY UPGRADES. THE FACILITY HAS CORRODED ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS DUE TO SALT TREATMENTS OVER THE YEARS, BROKEN SEALS BETWEEN PIPE FITTINGS LEADING TO VARIOUS LEAKS IN THE SYSTEM, AND LACKS A HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR-CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM LEADING TO EXCESSIVE HUMIDITY AND AN INABILITY TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE. THE ROOM IS NOT ADA COMPLIANT AND ALSO NEEDS UPGRADES TO REPLACE EXISTING INCANDESCENT LIGHTS WITH MODERN LEDS, REFRESHMENT OF TANK LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS (E.G., FILTERS, SUMPS, PUMPS, CHILLERS) WHICH HAVE GONE PAST THEIR LIFE-EXPECTANCY, AND THE INSTALLATION OF EMERGENCY REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEMS. THE FACILITY ALSO NEEDS AN ESSENTIAL ELECTRICAL BACK-UP SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF AN ADEQUATE-CAPACITY GENERATOR TO PROVIDE ANIMAL LIFE SUPPORT TO WATER AND AERATION SYSTEMS DURING POWER OUTAGES. MOREOVER, OUR RESEARCH AND TEACHING LABORATORY NEXT TO THE RECIRCULATING ROOM IS IN NEED OF REFRESHING AND MODERNIZATION SUCH THAT IT MEETS CURRENT SAFETY STANDARDS, SUPPORTS RECRUITMENT OF A NEW CADRE OF STUDENTS, AND IS ADA ACCESSIBLE. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LABORATORY SPACE WILL INCLUDE PAINTING, WIDER DOORS, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY, AND A NEW NON-SLIP EPOXY FLOOR.THIS PROJECT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR MEETING THE PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS. STAKEHOLDERS IDENTIFIED THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PROJECT INCLUDE: (1) CATFISH PRODUCERS, ASSOCIATED INDUSTRY BUSINESSES AND RETAILERS; (2) REGIONAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL ENTITIES AFFILIATED WITH AQUACULTURE - SEE PAGE 3 PARTNERS LIST; (3) GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TRAINING AT THE FACILITY; (4) STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT RELY ON CATI AS A CAREER PATHWAY FOR TRAINED PROFESSIONALS; (5) FACULTY THAT WILL BE USING THE MODE,RNIZED AND EXPANDED SPACE FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS; AND (6) THE FISH THEMSELVES WILL HAVE IMPROVED WELFARE BY PROVIDING ENHANCED SECURITY AND SAFETY FROM NEW AND IMPROVED LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS. REGULAR INTERACTION AND CONTINUED FEEDBACK FROM THE MAJORITY OF STAKEHOLDERS LISTED ABOVE HAVE IDENTIFIED A CRITICAL NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY TRAINED STUDENTS, FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND DEMOGRAPHICS, WITH HANDS-ON SKILLS THAT WILL BE THE FUTURE AQUACULTURE WORKFORCE. THESE GROUPS HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH STUDENTS COMING THROUGH THE MSU PROGRAM BUT HAVE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF REMAINING RELEVANT AS RESEARCH NEEDS CHANGE, AND TO PROVIDE A DIVERSIFIED AND EDUCATED WORKFORCE AT THE REGIONAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS. FOR U.S. AQUACULTURE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AGENCIES, THE NEED FOR DIRECTED, RELEVANT RESEARCH AND A DIVERSE, TRAINED WORKFORCE IS IMPORTANT FOR STABILITY AND CREATING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS. MSU IS STAGED WELL FOR TRAINING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE IN AQUACULTURE AS THE STATE HAS THE HIGHEST RELATIVE PROPORTION OF BLACK AMERICANS IN RESIDENCE (39%), ACCORDING TO THE 2018 US CENSUS ESTIMATE, WHILE THE UNIVERSITY DEMOGRAPHICS INCLUDE 17.2% BLACK STUDENTS AND 3.5% HISPANIC STUDENTS. WE HAVE BEGUN TO SEE A GREATER PROPORTION OF MINORITY STUDENTS MOVING INTO AQUACULTURE CAREERS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THIS PROJECT WILL HELP US TO RECRUIT, ATTRACT AND RETAIN A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, CO-INVESTIGATOR DR. SANDRA CORREA (HERSELF A MINORITY FACULTY MEMBER) HAS JUST ACCEPTED ONE OF OUR BLACK UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, BREELYN BIGBEE, AS A NEW GRADUATE STUDENT IN 2024. BREELYN WILL BE CONDUCTING AQUACULTURE RESEARCH AT CATI AND OUR HOPE IS THAT SHE WILL ENJOY A NEWLY RENOVATED AND MODERNIZED AQUACULTURE FACILITY.
$150.0k 9/11/23