Expert touts aquaculture industry for NMI

If Hawaii can generate at least $28 million from the aquaculture industry, so can the CNMI, said visiting director of the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture Cheng-Sheng Lee.

Lee was here last week for a weeklong observation and presentation of the state of aquaculture worldwide. The director conducted his presentation at the Northern Marianas College student center last Thursday.

Lee presented to attending environmental agency officials an overview and status of aquaculture worldwide, focusing on Hawaii as one of the major economic contributors. He said the field of aquaculture is quite new on the island. Lee also presented the mission of the regional aquaculture center based in Waimanalo, Hawaii.

Lee said he visited the island to determine how the institute can help the Commonwealth developed its own aquaculture industry. Lee’s visit was in collaboration with the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service.

Lee compared the island to Hawaii just before it got started in the aquaculture business.

“Just like Hawaii we didn’t have much resources except for water,” he said.

Lee said they brainstormed on possibilities on how Hawaii could generate revenue by taking advantage of the islands’ plentiful water resource to help in economic development.

He admitted, though, that aquaculture is not the only best way to economic development. He said they also utilized the surrounding bodies of water by banking on what people love to do—eating.

“Seafood is identified as healthy food. …Why not grow your own seafood to feed your people?” he said.

Lee said Hawaii mainly relies on military and tourists as income generators but he said aquaculture has also been helping the economy.

He said Hawaii’s aquaculture industry has grown into a $28-million industry for the state.

He also said Rota holds a lot of promise for the aquaculture industry. He said that, if the government could convert the island into an aquaculture park, it would definitely boost its economy by becoming the source of seafood and possibly could be a tourist attraction for the CNMI.

“Something that one can think about changing the island,” said Lee.

NMC-CREES agriculture specialist Michael Ogo said aquaculture has the potential to bring in bigger revenue to the Commonwealth in lieu of its dwindling revenue sources, which is the garment industry.

He said that, right now, “we think of it [aquaculture] as a small scale but worldwide it is a billion dollar industry.

“The CNMI’s proximity to Asia gives the islands more advantages than Hawaii,” said Ogo.

Lee said the CNMI needs revenue support and aquaculture could be of great assistance, so he is calling for local government’s support to encourage the community in this endeavor. “There’s potential here,” he said.

Lee has been involved in the aquaculture research industry for more than 40 years now.