Are you a coastal dweller? Be mari-cultured!
Cultivation of fish, molluscs, algae and even pearls on special marine farms is referred to as mariculture. In fact, it is farming in seawater, which has a lot of advantages, including ecological ones, when compared with agronomy and animal husbandry. To explain to the public what mariculture is and why it is so important to our region, we have decided to make it the theme of this year’s celebration of Russian Science Day at our facility.
On Saturday, February 11, Primorsky Aquarium guests will learn about the history of aquaculture during an exhibit tour called Goldfish, rotate through a series of education stations and have an opportunity to ask questions to scientists and experts in the field who will give talks on different aspects of mariculture and tell the audience how cutting edge research helps marine farming.
Our experts have first-hand and full knowledge of mariculture because the Primorsky Aquarium is a branch of the A. V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology FEB RAS, among whose activities is the development of a scientific base for culture of marine living resources and their sustainable use.
“Marine farming is very significant for the Russian Far East because the surrounding waters are rich in major commercial species,” said Lyubov Gliznutsa, Lead Specialist of the Education Department, main organizer of the event. “By cultivating these species, we can reduce pressure on wild fisheries and thus protect the biodiversity of our seas. When we were choosing a theme for our celebration, we wanted to increase visitor awareness of the importance and value of the ocean and ocean life. We must remember that its resources are not limitless! As coastal dwellers, we are destined to be mari-CULTURED!”