USDA ARS Joins Effort to Boost Oyster Production

USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has joined a team of shellfish geneticists whose task is to advance oyster breeding to generate better performing oysters for farmers and boost oyster production along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard.

Dina Proestou, a research geneticist with ARS’ National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center in Kingston, RI, is part of a consortium of 14 shellfish geneticists from 12 universities and government organizations that is developing new methods to accelerate selective breeding and expand it to new regions along the East Coast.

Oysters are critical to many U.S. waterways because, as filter feeders, they help improve water quality as they filter their food from the water.

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