The Gulf of America Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) Demonstration Project is a federally funded, state-led pilot designed to show that sustainable, nearshore aquaculture is achievable, scalable and environmentally responsible in the northern Gulf. This project addresses the growing domestic and global demand for seafood while supporting U.S. food production and security goals, coastal economies and workforce development.

Smaller-scale, nearshore aquaculture systems reduce startup and operating costs, making entry into aquaculture more feasible for independent harvesters and farmers. The IMTA AquaFort platform was originally developed in New England and adapted for Gulf conditions to demonstrate how these systems can be deployed safely and responsibly in warmer, high-energy Gulf waters. The Gulf IMTA will grow out three native northern Gulf species: red drum, eastern oysters, and Gracilaria seaweed.

Strategic Importance

Institutional partners in Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire are collaborating to implement the Gulf IMTA project to:

• Establish a pathway for permitting future aquaculture projects in state and federal waters
• Support local seafood production and reduce reliance on imported seafood
• Train and prepare a local aquaculture workforce
• Strengthen the state and regional blue economy
• Explore the feasibility of commercial-scale use of this cutting-edge technology

This demonstration project aligns with initiatives aimed at expanding the U.S. market share of farm-raised seafood, encouraging innovation in marine food systems and supporting coastal community resilience.

How the System Works

Multiple aquaculture species are grown together in a way that mimics natural processes related to the “trophic” level of the three species.

• Trophic level refers to the process in which each species gets food and energy
• Red drum (finfish) are the primary species. They are provided a diet of sinking feed pellets and produce excess particulate matter and nutrients.
• Eastern oysters are filter feeders that take up particulates from the fish feed.
• Gracilaria algae take up nutrients produced by the fish.

This integration of the multitrophic grow-out reduces excess nutrients while producing multiple marketable seafood products.

The floating AquaFort platform (56’x28’) contains two fish pen bays and is designed to produce up to 6-7 tons of fish and shellfish per season. The platform will operate seasonally from fall to early summer and will be towed inshore for the duration of each hurricane season.

Location and Operation

The platform is operated by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, in collaboration with University of South Alabama, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, University of New Hampshire, New Hampshire Sea Grant, and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

It is supported through funding facilitated by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Aquaculture Division.

• The Gulf IMTA demonstration project platform is located South of Fort Morgan, Alabama.
• It is stocked with locally collected fish, shellfish, and algae.
• Fish are kept in predator exclusion mesh pens, while the oysters and macroalgae are grown in baskets suspended along the platform’s perimeter.

Local fishers and farmers will be recruited to participate in:

• Feeding and daily husbandry of the red drum
• Monitoring the fish and shellfish
• Collecting environmental data
• Maintaining the platform and mooring
• Harvesting, handling, and selling the aquaculture products

Environmental Monitoring and Oversight

Environmental protection is central to the project’s design. Regular monitoring near the IMTA site will include:

• Water quality,
• Condition of the seafloor,
• Fish and invertebrate communities
• Protected marine species

Monitoring results will be shared with regulators, people interested in the project, and organizations interested in aquaculture in the Gulf.

Why This Project Matters

• Demonstrates responsible nearshore aquaculture at a manageable scale
• Supports federal and state goals for domestic seafood production
• Provides real-world data to inform future permitting decisions
• Builds a trained workforce and new economic opportunities for coastal communities