October 15 -16, 2025: SAS² 2025 Conference

Baltimore, MD

June 9 -10, 2025: RASTECH

San Diego, CA

Broodstock management data from SAS² – Yonathan Zohar (IMET)

Advancing domestic egg supply of North American strain Atlantic salmon – Nick King (SalmoGen)

John Buchanan (Center for Aquaculture Technologies)

Andrew Preston (Benchmark Genetics)

Factors that promote and inhibit off-flavor –  John Davidson (Freshwater Institute).

Off-flavor mitigation technology research – Matt Stromberg (UMBC).

Taste panel determination of a geosmin taste threshold for Atlantic salmon – John Davidson (Freshwater Institute).

A commercial Atlantic salmon producer’s perspective on off-flavor mitigation and perception – Armin Rameriz (Atlantic Sapphire).

A commercial salmonid RAS producer’s perspective on finishing procedures – Brittany Peachey (Hudson Valley Fish Farms). 

Coho salmon performance in RAS at 14C vs. 17C – Chris Good (Freshwater Institute)

Bill Keleher (Kennebec River Biosciences)

Resource reclamation from RAS Waste: Recent results and upcoming research from the Freshwater Institute –
Abhinav Choudhury (Freshwater Institute).

Building a network to educate, train, and engage for the benefit of US Aquaculture – John Stubblefield (IMET) et al.

March 7-10, 2025: World Aquaculture Society

New Orleans, LA

Anaerobic digestion of RAS waste: Current status and recent developments – Abhinav Choudhury (Freshwater Institute) et al. 

Investigating RAS water disinfection with low-dose peracetic acid – Christopher Good (Freshwater Institute) et al.

Off-flavor production in RAS: Progress towards potential solutions – John Davidson (Freshwater Institute) et al. 

Objective evaluation of off-flavor mitigation technologies: A mass balance approach for informed decision-making – Matthew Stromberg (UMBC) et al. 

A glimpse: what can early metabolism amongst S. Salar families tell us? – Halli Bair (UMaine) et al. 

Developmental biomarkers in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar for prediction of favorable traits in domesticated lineages: growth, survival, and temperature tolerance – Robert Morefield (UMaine), Halli Bair, Heather Hamlin.

Induction of reproductive sterility in fish by a transient gene silencing technology – Yonathan Zohar (IMET) and Ten-Tsao Wong (IMET).

Willingness-to-pay for RAS salmon by the U.S. Consumer – Isaac Wu (Morgan State University) et al. 

Steroidogenesis in female Atlantic salmon Salmo salar tissue at time of ovulation – Erin Legacki (USDA-ARS) et al.

Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N) – Yonathan Zohar (IMET) et al. 

Collaborative education and extension in sustainable aquaculture: The SAS2 project – Catherine Frederick (UMD) et al.

February 18-21, 2024: World Aquaculture Society

San Antonio, TX

Characterizing genetic x environment interactions of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar selected for growth in netpens through evaluations in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems – Brian Peterson (USDA-ARS) et al. 

Modeling embryo survival: Genetic and environmental influences on eye-up rate in a North American Atlantic salmon selective breeding program – Erin Legacki (USDA-ARS) et al. 

Establishing predictive metrics for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar broodstock and offspring – Halli Bair (UMaine) et al. 

Willingness to pay for RAS Atlantic salmon by the U.S. Consumer – Isaac Wu (Morgan State University) et al. 

Evaluating the feasibility of integrating multi-vessel membrane biological reactors within RAS: Effects on water quality, water use, and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss performance – John Davidson (Freshwater Institute) et al. 

Microbiology as a tool for complementing studies on anaerobic digestion of waste solids from RAS – Abhinav Choudhury (Freshwater Institute) et al.

Aquaculture extension in Maryland: Assessing community knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards land-based RAS – Catherine Frederick (UMD). 

Identifying biomarkers to improve reproductive performance in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar – Heather Hamlin (UMaine).

From conflict to collaboration: exploring the social and ecological dimensions of recirculating aquaculture development through a mixed methods approach – Nathan Smith (UMaine) and Laura Rickard (UMaine).

October 17 and 18, 2023: SAS² 2023 Conference

Baltimore, MD

The second Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon (SAS²) conference brought 110 academic researchers, industry professionals, government officials, educators, and students together at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET) in Baltimore in October 2023.

The conference consisted of nine panels addressing key challenges to the industry, populated by 50 panelists from the US and abroad, as well as two keynote presentations. Panelists represented diverse and transdisciplinary project partners from research, industry, federal, and education fields. The conference structure encouraged questions and commentary from the audience, which resulted in thoughtful discussions over the course of the conference. Participants also had the opportunity to tour aquaculture facilities at IMET’s Aquaculture Research Center and The Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute (CFFI).

Watch conference overview video here.

View conference photos here.

Credit: Barry Freeman

April 20-21, 2023: Special SAS2 Session

RASTECH, Grande Lakes, FL

Introduction and updates from SAS2 – Yonathan Zohar, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), University of Maryland Baltimore County

SAS2– Enabling water, nutrient and energy upcycling in land-based salmon farms- Steven Summerfelt, Superior Fresh

Establishing domestic RAS-specific broodstock for year-round production of optimally performing offspring- Heather Hamlin, Aquaculture Research Institute, University of Maine

A review of research to reduce early maturation in Atlantic salmon- Chris Good, Freshwater Institute

Mitigating early maturation in Atlantic salmon using gene silencing -Ten-Tsao Wong, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), University of Maryland Baltimore County

Exploring current and novel off-flavor mitigation technologies and predictive modeling in RAS – Matthew Stromberg, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), University of Maryland Baltimore County

Zero water discharge in the ‘Purging While Feeding’ water treatment process – Igal Magen, BioFishency

Differences between blood metabolite profiles in RAS Atlantic salmon fed fishmeal versus insect meal diets – Allen Place (presented by John Stubblefield), Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences

Innovations in aquaculture workforce development programming in Maine and beyond – M. Scarlett Tudor, University of Maine

Dr. Yonathan Zohar hosted a special session at RASTECH 2023 to share ongoing innovative research with RAS industry stakeholders

September 27-29, 2022: Joint Conference of Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N) and Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon (SAS2)

Orono, ME

Seedstock Moderated by Mike Pietrak (USDA-ARS)

Panelists: Brian Peterson (USDA-ARS), Ben Perry (Benchmark Genetics), Heather Hamlin (University of Maine), Tom Sorby (Kingfish Maine), Nick King (Nordic Aquafarms)

Fish Performance and Health Moderated by Debbie Bouchard (University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute)

Panelists: Steve Backman (Skretting), Bill Keleher (Kennebec River BioSciences), Kathleen Hartman (USDA-APHIS)

Feeds and Feeding Moderated by Matt Hawkyard (University of Maine)

Panelists: Sarah Cook (Skretting), Allen Place (IMET), Andrew Swanson (Cooke Aquaculture)

Workforce Development Moderated by Debbie Bouchard (University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute)

Panelists: Scarlett Tudor (University of Maine), Tish Carr (Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) Program), Adam Frederick (Maryland Sea Grant), Keiko Saito (IMET), Alejandro Rojas (AquaBounty)

Industry Challenges Moderated by Steve Summerfelt (Superior Fresh)

Panelists: Ten-Tsao Wong (IMET), Kevin Sowers (IMET), Chris Haughey, (Exciton Clean), Michael Thompson (Penobscot Environmental Consulting), Nordic Aquafarms

Consumer Education and Marketing Moderated by Jim Hurley (Wisconsin Sea Grant)

Panelists: Sharon Moen (Wisconsin Sea Grant), Chris Davis (Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center), Qiujie Zheng (Atlantic Corp), Steve Summerfelt (Superior Fresh), Kaitlynn Ritchie (Morgan State University), Isaac Wu (Virginia Tech)

Off-flavor Research Updates – John Davidson (Conservation Fund’s Freshwater Institute)

Precision Aquaculture in RAS – Mathew Zimola (ReelData)

Community Engagement and Social License to Operate- Emily Whitmore (University of New Hampshire)

RAS-N Road Map and Strategic Plan- John Stubblefield (IMET)

Next Steps for Network – Debbie Bouchard (University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute) and Yonathan Zohar (IMET)

September 28th: Erik Heim (Xcelerate Aqua)

September 29th: Tony Sutton (University of Maine)

Following field trips to USDA Franklin, the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research, and University of Maine's Aquatic Animal Health Lab, attendees enjoyed a lobster lunch provided by this year's hosts at the University of Maine

March 1st, 2022: Special RAS Session

Aquaculture America, San Diego, CA 

Off-Flavor Observations: Factors Influencing Accumulation in RAS and New Information on Geosmin Taste-Threshold In Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Fillets – John Davidson, Freshwater Institute

A Novel Advanced Oxidation Technology That Rapidly Removes Geosmin and MIB from Water and Significantly Reduces Atlantic Salmon Depuration Time – Terence Barry, Exciton

Replacing Soy Protein with Insect Meal In a Fishmeal Free Diet for Atlantic salmon Salmo salar – Allen Place, IMET

Conversion of Solid Waste to Biogas in a Saltwater Recirculating Aquaculture System for Atlantic salmon – Kevin Sowers, IMET

Challenges to Anaerobic Digestion of Waste Streams from Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Facilities – Abhinav Choudhury, Freshwater Institute. Free access article can be accessed here.

The Effects of Two Water Temperature Regimes On Atlantic salmon Salmo salar Growth Performance and Maturation in Freshwater Recirculating Aquaculture Systems – Chris Good, Freshwater Institute. Free access article can be accessed here.

Evaluating Freshwater Fluidized Sand Biofilter Performance Following Exposure to Low-Dose Peracetic Acid Treatments- Chris Good, Freshwater Institute

A roundtable for stakeholders at Aquaculture America following a special session on RAS and the first time seeing one another in person since the start of COVID

October 8-9, 2020: Second Annual RAS-N Workshop (virtual meeting)

Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), Baltimore, Maryland

The RAS-N 2020 Workshop practiced social distancing by going virtual, hosting 170 people online

December 10-11, 2019: Inaugural RAS-N Workshop

Harbor View Event Center, Washburn, Wisconsin

Thoughts for the Future of Land-based Aquaculture, Jesse Trushenski, Director of Science, Riverence

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility overview, Greg Fischer, Assistant Director/Research Program Manager

Raising Fish with Care: The Fundamentals of Animal Welfare in Aquaculture, Jesse Trushenski, Director of Science, Riverence

The Aquatic Barn at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, located in Bayfield, Wis. (Photo: Emma Wiermaa)