A pilot project two miles off Fort Morgan is testing whether small-scale fish farming can work in Gulf waters

Three species are being raised together on the platform. Red drum — also known as redfish — occupy one of the fish bays, while hanging baskets hold oysters and graceful red weed, a type of seaweed. All three species are native to the region, and their genetic stock is sourced locally from Mobile Bay.

"We are using three species that we are growing out," McDonald said. "We have our finfish, which is red drum. We also have hanging baskets with oysters and macroalgae, a type of seaweed. They are all native species. Their genetic component is local to Mobile Bay, so these are local, homegrown animals."

McDonald said the oysters and seaweed serve a purpose beyond being additional products for sale. They help filter and absorb excess nutrients released by the fish, reducing the environmental impact of the farming operation.

"The idea with the oysters and seaweed is that they will take up and absorb particulate organic matter and inorganic matter, such as dissolved nitrogen and nutrients," she said. "They also become a secondary product for the farmer to take to market."

The first harvest didn't go exactly as planned. Because of delays in getting the platform into position, the redfish didn't reach the target weight before hurricane season required moving the platform back to shore.

"We're harvesting them at about 1 pound, about 14 inches," McDonald said. "We really don't know what our market is yet. The original plan was to get them to one kilo, 2.2 pounds, but that didn't happen."

Rather than let the undersized fish go to waste, the team decided to distribute the roughly 3,000 redfish to local markets at no charge. In exchange, the project will collect data on sales volume and price per pound for both whole and filleted fish. That information will help shape next year's marketing strategy.

Kevin Anson, director of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Marine Resources Division, said the brood stock used to start the project came directly from Alabama waters. The fish were transported to the University of Southern Mississippi's Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center, where they were spawned and raised to about six inches before being placed in the offshore cages.

"It's a pilot study to look at current technology and what will work off Alabama in the Gulf," Anson said. "We're trying to see the potential of this aquaculture to see if this could be an additional source of protein for the public."

Anson said researchers are also closely watching how well the platform holds up. The cage structure uses mesh designed to prevent fouling and withstand shark damage, though the technology was originally developed for different conditions in the Northeast.

"We want to make sure the cage structure stays intact, doesn't sink or break away," Anson said. "The technology comes from the Northeast, where conditions are different from here."

The broader vision for the project is to provide an option for small, independent fish farmers — not a large corporate operation. McDonald said the model was inspired by a small aquaculture business in New Hampshire that raises steelhead trout, blue mussels, and kelp.

"This project is intended for more localized, small-scale aquaculture," McDonald said. "It would be more individually owned and operated. We wanted to provide an avenue for smaller commercial harvesters who might be looking to branch out into aquaculture or to subsidize any of their commercial revenue."

With Alabama's oyster aquaculture industry already thriving, Anson said he is hopeful that offshore finfish farming can follow suit.

"We hope this will show that it will be a viable and profitable means of producing these fish," he said.