USM joins NOAA seafood research effort

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WXXV)- The University of Southern Mississippi is part of a new national effort to boost America’s seafood supply through aquaculture research.

The project, known as CI-Farm, is led by the University of New Hampshire and backed by about $13.5 million in initial funding from NOAA.

Southern Miss and its partners will work to develop new technologies for fish farming, use artificial intelligence to improve operations, and study ocean conditions to help protect seafood harvests.

The five-year program aims to make domestic seafood production more efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable.

It could also create new jobs and economic opportunities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.