UW-Stevens Point: Northern Aquaculture Facility Open House June 2

University Relations and Communications, 715-346-3046, Fax 715-346-2042, http://www.uwsp.edu/news

The Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) in Bayfield will have its official ribbon-cutting/open house on Friday, June 2, at 2 p.m. It is located at 36445 State Highway in Bayfield.

There will be a brief ceremony, ribbon-cutting and reception. The public and the media are encouraged to attend. Special guests invited to speak at the open house include UWSP’s Dean of the College of Letters and Science Lance Grahn, Rod Nilsestuen, secretary of the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection, Robin Shepard of UW-Extension, Red Cliff Chairperson Patricia DePerry, and others. Area legislators and other dignitaries have also been invited.

The facility is a partnership among the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), DATCP, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, and the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa. UWSP’s College of Letters and Science joined with the NADF last fall to support this aquaculture enterprise with the college’s expertise in fisheries and fish biology, its strength in applied research, its commitment to statewide partnerships, and its dedication to community economic development. Prior to UWSP joining this collaboration, UW-Superior represented the UW System campuses’ work with the facility.

“UWSP is excited to be part of the work done out of this impressive facility. We look forward to adding our faculty’s expertise in aquaculture to our partners’ strengths in outreach, economic development and business skills,” said Grahn. “Like DATCP, UW-Extension, and our industry collaborator, the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, UWSP believes that aquaculture has great economic potential both here in Northern Wisconsin and throughout the state, and the NADF will provide a wonderful teaching and learning experience for our faculty and students that can immediately support the work of fish farmers.”

The NADF was begun in 1996 and is now fully constructed and operational. Its mission is to “promote and advance the development of aquaculture in a northern climate.” Christopher Hartleb, associate professor of fisheries biology and aquaculture at UWSP and co-director of NADF, is leading UWSP’s work at the facility. Jeffery Malison, director of the UW-Madison aquaculture program, is also co-director for the NADF and brings 20 years of aquaculture experience to the facility.

For more information on the NADF’s open house, contact Ron Johnson, associate outreach specialist for the NADF, at (715) 209-5701.