Food safety and quality may also be expected to improve through increased consumption of farm-raised products. Finally, commercial fishing pressure will be reduced through the substitution of farm-raised species, historically caught from the Great Lakes Region. In response to an increasing need for information on production, marketing, and sales of farm-raised fish, the program provides educational opportunities on a wide range of aquaculture topics. Currently, the Illinois-Indiana Program responds to over 1,500 individual requests for information each year. These programs include participation in State Aquaculture task forces in each state, National Association of State Aquaculture Coordinators, and education programs for new and existing producers.
Objectives Convey the profitability of aquaculture to potential farmers and lending institutions.
Improve food safety and quality of aquaculture products for human consumption. Increase the use of aquaculture information in secondary education. AquaNIC was the first national network information center on a WWW servicing the specific informational, educational and training needs of extension staff associated with the diverse disciplines of aquaculture. As the number of Web sites continues to increase, there is a need to develop techniques that will allow users to focus on the types of information they access across the Web. AquaNIC has an international reputation as a reliable source of fresh and marine aquaculture.