1. National Sea Grant Program Approach to Industry Development Dr. James McVey Program Director for Aquaculture National Aquaculture Extension Conference April 2003 Tucson, Arizona

2. National Sea Grant College Program created by Congress through Sea Grant Act of 1966 Sea Grant network has grown from 3 state programs in 1968 to 30 programs in coastal and Great Lakes states today Sea Grant funds nearly $12 million in aquaculture research and $1.5 million in aquaculture extension ~ 22 FTEs in Sea Grant aquaculture extension

3. All Sea Grant programs have an Extension Director responsible for management of the state Sea Grant extension programs All extension programs have advisory committees consisting of constituents from industry, state, and academic partners Many Sea Grant programs have specialists such as economists, seafood technicians, ecologists, and fisheries experts who have input to those extension agents working on aquaculture

4. Sea Grant has 4 major techniques for conducting aquaculture extension: - State Sea Grant Extension agents and specialists - Research staff working in partnerships with industry - Education projects for both teachers and students - Demonstration projects for new technologies

5. The most successful extension activities occur when extension personnel are connected with research staff from the beginning Examples of successful aquaculture extension: Oyster gardening programs Soft shell crab technology transfer Hybrid striped bass culture through pond demonstrations Offshore aquaculture demonstration projects How to workshops for red drum and shrimp culture Clam culture technology transfer Aquaculture high schools in Connecticut