AQUACULTURE SCIENCE PROGRAM

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AQUACULTURE SCIENCEPROGRAM

• Bryant High School
• South Mobile County Alabama

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• Started when school opened in 1998
• Began with one greenhouse and four recirculating
  systems (Exxon/Mobil)
• Now has three greenhouses, seven recirculating
  systems (to 10,000 gallons), aquaponics system,
  two indoor ponds and one outdoor pond.
• New expansion to add full-scale commercial
  redclaw crawfish nursery/hatchery operated by
  students

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SUPPORTERS

• Exxon / Mobil
• Gulf Coast RCD Council
• Bedsole Foundation
• Mississippi / Alabama Sea Grant
• Auburn University Fisheries Dept.
• Alabama Dept. Conserv. Nat. Res.
• Auburn Marine Extention Research Ctr.
• Mobile County Public School System
• Numerous state and federal elected officials

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PROGRAM GOALS

• Keep students in school
• Stimulate interest in science/technology
• Hands-on learning by doing thereal thing
• Demonstrate to students practical applications of
  biology, math, physics, and chemistry
• Help to develop aquaculture opportunities by
  using commercially important species

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Bryant Aquascience Complex

• Exxon/Mobil Center for Aquascience Studies
• J. L. Bedsole Indoor Aquaculture Production
  Center
• Gulf Coast Resource Conservation and Development
  Council Aquaponics Studies Center

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Bedsole Indoor aquaculture
Exxon/Mobil Aquaculture Studies
RCD Aquaponics
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Exxon/Mobil Center for Aquaculture Studies
Exxon/Mobil Center
Redclaw hatching tanks
Redclaw crawfish broodstock tanks
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650-gallon tanks Currently used for redfish
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Redclaw crawfish hatching tanks and food
preference studies
500-gallon recirculating system
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Reservoir
biofilter
10,000-gallon epoxy-coated concrete tank for
spawning redfish
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Tilapia pond inside RCD aquaponics building
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Aquaponics trays
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Brazilian red tilapia
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Redclaw crawfish pond
Indoor pond provides for continuous year-round
crawfish production
Water hyacinths
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Outdoor pond for cage culture
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SPECIES CULTURED(pilot scale studies)

• Several species of tilapia
• Red snapper (First to culture in captivity from
  egg to harvest 5 published research studies
  conducted by students)
• Cobia (ling)
• Redfish (red drum)
• Rainbow trout (first cage culture)
• Australian redclaw crawfish
• all have good potential, but redclaw best

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Male redclaw crawfish (weighs approx. ½ pound)
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CONTENT STANDARDS

• Water chemistry and management
• Aquatic biology
• Aquaculture systems and techniques
• System design and maintenance
• Aquaculture issues
• Business and economics
• capable of book studies only

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Future Plans

• Construct and operate a full-scale redclaw
  crawfish hatchery/nursery.
• Business will be operated by students duties
  will include design, construction, operation,
  marketing, records and bookkeeping.
• Profits will be used to pay students, fund
  expansions, and scholarships.

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Students enjoy their non-typical classroom setting
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Students benefit from cooperative learning and
problem solving
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Most students prefer sitting in a boat instead of
sitting in a classroom