Our waters support Benthic Habitats for species that have evolved and adapted to better survive in an uncertain world.
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Neptune's Nursery TM
A marine hatchery utilizing an artificial upwelling.
We are in the permitting phase of our project . We
believe that our crystal clear blue waters are ideal for
the propagation of endemic marine species. We have
targeted Rachycentron canadum, Cobia, a pelagic
species in our region, family to the Remora. Currently
they are being grown in, two offshore submerged
cages, by a company called Snapperfarm Inc., in, Culebra, PR, www.snapperfarm.com . There are two
other companies that are also in the permitting phase in PR, Borinquen Aquaculture Inc.,
http://www.boriquenaquaculture.com/ , of Rincon, PR and Ocean Harvest of Humacao, PR, both of which
propose to install 10, Sea Station TM cages. We are in the process of developing a water recirculation
system that will maintain our brine water on shore with out the need to discharge our waste. It is based on
the University of The Virgin Islands' Tilapia Aquaculture Program headed by Dr. James Rakocy ,
jrakocy@uvi.edu, (see photographs below). We are confident that the technologies that are performing
elsewhere will operate seamlessly with the systems and techniques developed here on our island. We
believe that the talent that exists here in the US Virgin Islands, will be sufficient to achieve our goals. If
training is needed we shall import the personnel to train our people. Our product shall be exported to other
ventures and will serve as an advertisement for our islands' ability to become models for the world.
We have entered into negotiations for agricultural land on the island of St. Croix. Once our lease is signed
the funding sources shall be approached for capital.
Related Links:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aquaculture
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mediacenter/aquaculture/
NOAA Aquaculture K-12; Teacher/Student Resource:
http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docaqua/k12.html
NOAA and The University of Puerto Rico:
http://www.oar.noaa.gov/spotlite/archive/spot_snapperfarm.html
National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/buis/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/chri/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/sari/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/vicr/index.htm
http://www.nps.gov/viis/index.htm
Global Coral Reef Alliance
http://globalcoral.org
Cane Bay Dive Shop
http://www.canebayscuba.com/sites.html
Virgin Islands Internet Newspaper One Paper
http://web.onepaper.com
National Geographic Documentary on Global Fisheries
Buck Island National Monument
Project
Photograph by Craig McCullough
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If you are visiting St. Croix, US Virgin islands, your future is so bright you better wear shades
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340.773.7171