COMB's Aquaculture Research Center (ARC) is an extensive fish-holding facility located on the ground floor of the Columbus Center. ARC is an 18,000 square foot, $3 million, state-of-the-art, environmentally-sensitive marine facility that has met the requirements for Performance Standards for Safely Conducting Research with Genetically Modified Fish and Shellfish. It is a completely contained, recirculating system with large-scale mechanical and biological life support systems. ARC contains multiple tanks of 4, 6, 8 and 12 foot diameter (ranging in volumes from 1 to 20 cubic meters) specifically designed to maintain broodstock and carry out research with fish of various species, 32 smaller tanks of 90 gallons each for carrying out experiments with multiple groups of fish, as well as a complete hatchery area equipped with larval rearing systems and facilities for culture of a wide range of food chain organisms for larval diets. A computerized system maintains full control over the photoperiod, water temperature, salinity, oxygen and water chemistry in each of the tanks, and water quality and operational parameters are constantly monitored. All environmental parameters can be modified to meet the requirements of specific culture conditions and experiments. The recirculating, artificial seawater is continuously treated with ozone, which maintains a disease-free environment. ARC also includes a 700 square foot quarantine facility, a 500 square foot pathogen room, and a 400 square foot laboratory space designed for manipulating fish experimentally and performing basic bench work. This modern and generic facility is designed to carry out studies on multiple finfish and shellfish species. It is also a prototype of an urban mariculture operation, which can be scaled up for commercial applications.

For more information, contact Dr. Yonathan Zohar