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A University of Hawai驶i at M膩noa study shows a species of tilapia grows 15% faster in a system that recirculates artificial saltwater instead of freshwater. This key finding comes from the new Tuahine Research and Education Center (TAREC), which is meeting the needs of Hawai驶i's growing aquaculture industry by researching sustainable food sources from our bodies of water.

While researchers expected this result, it is a significant finding because a recirculating system saves water and is being "increasingly adopted鈥� especially in inland areas or areas with less access to water or other resources," said Andre Seale, professor at the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences and lead author on the study in the Israeli Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh.

By demonstrating that Mozambique tilapia can thrive and grow more quickly in saltwater, this research opens the door to studies on sustainable aquaculture where changes in salinity can improve the health, production and nutritional value of fish used for food. Added to the lower environmental footprint of employing a recirculating system, where most of the water is recycled, another benefit of identifying conditions where fish grow faster is a shorter time to market.

Sustainable food production

The study also describes the potential for employing recirculating aquaculture systems toward sustainable food production. These systems allow for the rearing of various aquatic species of local interest, and the exploration of approaches to mitigate energy consumption and waste production while training the next generation of aquaculture researchers and practitioners.

Built with two recirculation aquaculture systems, TAREC allows for research on both freshwater and saltwater species. Since its opening in 2024, the center has become a platform for projects from NOAA and UH Sea Grant College Program (Hawai驶i Sea Grant).

The 8,600鈥搒quare鈥揻oot TAREC facility in M膩noa is a partnership among the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, Hawai驶i Sea Grant and School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. TAREC's success demonstrates the collaborative innovation of multiple partners and the center's role in Hawai驶i's sustainable food production.