Aquaculture Research Institute

Leading the future of aquaculture

The Aquaculture Research Institute (ARI) advances sustainable aquaculture through integrated research, education and outreach focused on food production, fisheries enhancement and stock restoration.

Established in 1988, ARI collaborates across U of I colleges and with scientists from other universities, government agencies, Native American tribes and the global aquaculture industry. While many ARI projects center on rainbow trout, researchers also study a variety of native and non-native species — including cutthroat trout, redband trout, sturgeon, burbot, tilapia, catfish and freshwater ornamentals such as zebrafish. Through external partnerships, ARI’s work also extends to marine species, including shrimp and other commercially important ocean fish.

ARI scientists apply a range of physiological and biochemical techniques alongside advanced tools in genomics and proteomics to address aquaculture challenges.

Research focus areas

Nutrition and feeding
Genomics
Water quality
Selective breeding
Physiology
Fish health management
Conservation aquaculture
New species development

Research highlights

Sustainable nutrition solutions

The Aquaculture Research Institute has led major advancements toward moving the industry away from feeding fishmeal, which depletes the oceans of their wild fish populations, in favor of a sustainable, vegetarian diet. ARI scientists and collaborators have bred rainbow trout — a carnivorous fish in the wild — that thrive on soybean-based feed without compromising taste, nutrition or growth. They also created low-phosphorus feed that reduces water pollution while supporting higher production.

Driving global food solutions

Fish is the primary protein source for 15% of the world’s population and aquaculture is the fastest-growing agricultural sector globally. As demand rises, Idaho’s Magic Valley plays a key role, producing about 75% of the U.S. supply of farm-raised rainbow trout. Around 14% of the nation’s trout broodstock also carry genetics developed by ARI.

Collaborative innovation

ARI secures external funding from partners like USDA-ARS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the University of Chile. Interdisciplinary at its core, ARI conducts original research and facilitates research by faculty in colleges and departments across University of Idaho, including fish and wildlife sciences, animal and veterinary science, engineering and business.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and the College of Natural Resources (CNR) are University of Idaho’s key partners in ARI, but the institute works with departments and colleges across the university. ARI also has formal collaborative research agreements with USDA's Agricultural Research Service and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.

ARI Facilities

The U of I Aquaculture Research Institute has research facilities for conducting fish rearing studies both on the Moscow campus and in Hagerman. Fish rearing facilities are primarily indoor, with additional outdoor facilities in Hagerman. Indoor facilities are bio-secure with environmental controls.

Laboratory managers oversee the fish rearing laboratories at each location and provide the continuity necessary for fish care, feeding and all operations needed for successful research studies by faculty, students and other partners.

Moscow campus

On the University of Idaho Moscow campus, the ARI operates two wet laboratories that have controlled photoperiods and are supplied with either well or dechlorinated municipal water. A laboratory manager oversees the wet labs and provides the continuity necessary in fish care, feeding and operations for successful studies.

The Moscow campus wet lab facilities are available to researchers across U of I and Washington State University campuses for a nominal fee.

Cold Water Laboratory

The Cold Water Laboratory operates on the Moscow campus as a water limited recirculating facility. There are currently seven independent recirculating systems on backup power that can accommodate a variety of cold-water species, including salmonid species and sturgeon. The facility also maintains one warm water system for rearing tilapia. Each system has independent chilling/heating, biofiltration and UV treatment. The largest system has four four-meter diameter tanks for rearing of large populations or broodstock. The other systems are high replicate systems, comprised of as many as 66 tanks. The Cold Water Lab has the capability to incubate eggs in Heath tray incubators and McDonald jars. Fry can also be held in fiberglass troughs and fed with either single pass or recirculating water. Temperatures in the systems can be maintained between 4 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius.

Aquatic Animal Research Facility

The Aquatic Animal Research Facility (AARF) is a two-story facility boasting office and classroom space coupled with a state-of-the-art 4,000 square feet wet lab. AARF is located adjacent to the Cold Water Laboratory.

The AARF also operates as a water-limited recirculating facility. There are currently four independent recirculating systems with backup power. Three of these systems were specifically designed to facilitate new species development. A live-feed room to produce artemia and rotifers supports this work. The fourth system is a dedicated, high-replicate marine system suited for shrimp and marine fish research.

Hagerman Station

The Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station is in south-central Idaho approximately 90 miles southeast of Boise, Idaho, the state capital. University of Idaho leased the facility from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1996 and took possession of the 4-acre property in 1998. In 2006, a new 14,000 square feet building was dedicated and included offices, a classroom and analytical laboratories. A six-bedroom dormitory and additional fish rearing buildings were also constructed, augmenting existing fish rearing facilities and providing housing for trainees and visiting scholars.

Hagerman Station features a 6,000 square feet wet lab supplied with 2,000 gpm, 14.5oC, gravity-fed, first use spring water. The wet lab contains 142 38-gallon (145-liter) and 42 152-gallon (450-liter) tanks for conducting comprehensive experimental procedures. Egg incubators and hatchery small troughs are used for incubating eggs and start-feeding trout fry. Quarantine facilities with the capacity to heat or chill water and to sterilize the effluent are in a separate, bio-secure building.

Physiological and behavioral studies can be conducted in a common garden environment consisting of three recirculating aquaculture systems and utilizing state-of-the art swimming, respirometry and cardiac output chambers.

Thirty covered outdoor tanks utilize second-use water and are suitable for raising groups of fish to maturity. Outdoor, 1/3 scale raceways (eight total) complete the fish rearing facilities. The Hagerman Station also has extensive analytical laboratories used to support research in feeds, molecular biology, population genetics and genomics, including next-generation sequencing.

Research is supported by funding from a wide range of sources including competitive grants from agencies, cooperative agreements and collaborative research with partners such as ARS and CRITFC and with contracts with industry to conduct product testing and evaluation.

The Hagerman Station has extensive analytical laboratories used to support research in feeds, molecular biology and population genetics. Teaching is conducted using state-of-the-art video technology linking the Hagerman Station to classrooms on the Moscow campus and elsewhere.

Bozeman Fish Technology Center

Through a cooperative agreement with the USDA/ARS Trout Feeds Program, ARI researchers have access to state-of-the-art diet manufacturing equipment for making fish feeds at the Bozeman Fish Technology Center, Montana. This includes a variety of equipment including a hammer mill, air swept pulverizer, mixers of various sizes and types, pelleting equipment including a Buhler twin screw extruder, feed drier and a vacuum coater for oil addition.

Annual reports

Aquaculture Research Institute's (ARI) annual reports provide a comprehensive overview of our research highlights, facilities, people, outputs and accomplishments. These reports serve as a valuable resource for stakeholders, partners, students and educators to gain insights into ARI's activities and its impact in the industry.

Meet our people

Administration

Brian Small
Director of Aquaculture Research Institute, professor of fish physiology
bcsmall@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext. 1108)

Matt Powell
Associate director of Aquaculture Research Institute, Interim associate dean of research and director of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station
mpowell@uidaho.edu
208-885-6681

Teri Dorchuck
Financial specialist III
tdorchuck@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1115)

Leanna Maxwell
Administrative specialist II
lmaxwell@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1101)

ARI affiliated faculty

Jacob W. Bledsoe, PhD
Assistant professor and Extension specialist, aquaculture research
bledsoe@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext. 1105)

Chris Caudill, PhD
Associate professor, fish health
caudill@uidaho.edu
208-885-7614

Amin Mirkouei
Associate professor, renewable and sustainable manufacturing
amirkouei@uidaho.edu
208-757-5420

Adjunct faculty

T. Gibson Gaylor
Nutritionist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
gibson_gaylord@fws.gov
406-994-9918

Shawn Narum
Lead geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
nars@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1120)

Rebekah Horn
Fisheries geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
rhorn@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1122)

Ilana Koch
Fisheries geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
koci@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1117)

Tom Welker
Fish physiologist, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Trout Grains Project
thomas.welker@usda.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1109)

Stuart Willis
Fisheries geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
swillis@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1111)

Andy Pierce
Fish physiologist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
piea@critfc.org
208-885-6057

Brian Peterson
Fish physiologist, research leader and center director, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center
brian.peterson@usda.gov
207-422-2713

Stephen Reichley
Assistant professor, fish health, Mississippi State University
stephen.reichley@msstate.edu
662-325-1137

Wendy Sealey
Fish nutritionist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Trout Grains Project
wendy.sealey@usda.gov
406-994-9908

Staff

Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station

Denise Adams
Assistant hatchery operations manager
adamsd@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1134)

Candice Lenigan
Hatchery technician
clenigan@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096

Leanna Maxwell
Administrative specialist II
lmaxwell@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1101)

Jose Ortiz
Research associate I
joseortiz@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1151)

Ben Randle
Hatchery operations manager
brandle@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1133)

Marina Subramaniam
Research scientist
marinas@uidaho.edu
208-837-9096 (ext 1127)

Janae Cole
Laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
colj@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1122)

Ben Fredericksen
Genetics laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
bfredericksen@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1106)

Lanie Galland
Fisheries geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
lgalland@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1107)

Travis Jacobson
Laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
jact@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1147)

Vanessa Jacobson
Laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
morv@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1125)

Rachael Kane
Genomics laboratory specialist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
rkane@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1152)

Lori Maxwell
Laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
maxl@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1137)

Megan Moore
Laboratory technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
mmoore@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1130)

Mike Parks
Genetics lab technician, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
parm@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1148)

Zak Robinson
Fisheries geneticist, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
zrobinson@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1132)

Jeff Stephenson
Lab manager, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
stej@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1121)

Garrett Strickland
Genomics researcher, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
gstrickland@critfc.org
208-837-9096 (ext 1138)

Moscow Aquatic Animal Research Facility

Joe Evavold
Fisheries research technician
joee@uidaho.edu
208-885-7860

Daniel Korbel
Assistant research facility manager
dkorbel@uidaho.edu

Scott Williams
Research facility manager
scottrw@uidaho.edu
208-885-5706