Harvesting Innovation: New Center for Marine Aquaculture Strengthens Coast, Builds Workforce

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas­— Agriculture has always been part of life for Dr. Chris Hollenbeck. He grew up on an ostrich farm and cattle ranch in Central Texas, learning early that with care and hard work, something small — like a seed or hatchling — could grow to feed many. Today, that same mindset drives his work in an entirely different kind of farming: one that takes place in the ocean.

“I ended up in the fish world because I took a genetics class at Texas A&M in College Station,” Hollenbeck said. “My professor, Dr. John Gold, was a renowned fish geneticist. I interned in his lab, and he eventually became my graduate advisor. I realized how new and exciting aquaculture was and how much room there is to innovate.”

Hollenbeck, who is an Associate Professor of Fisheries and Mariculture at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, now has a new role as the director of the newly launched Center for Marine Aquaculture (CMA), and is doing just as he imagined — growing, innovating and developing a more sustainable future for Texas’ coastal communities and beyond.

Approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents this fall, the CMA is a joint effort between TAMU-CC and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, with support from AgriLife Extension Service. It is housed at TAMU-CC and the Texas A&M AgriLife Mariculture Research Facility in the Flour Bluff area of  Corpus Christi.

The center’s goal is bold — to make Texas a national leader in sustainable marine aquaculture, starting with oyster farming and ideally expanding into other aquatic species like scallops, clams,  and seaweed.

“Right now, much of our research focuses on the domestication and selective breeding of oysters to improve traits

like growth rate and salinity tolerance,” Hollenbeck said. “These are key factors in building a productive and profitable oyster aquaculture industry in Texas.”

With rising global demand for seafood and declining wild fish stocks, marine aquaculture — farming aquatic organisms in the marine environment — is emerging as one of the most sustainable and flexible solutions for food production.

And in Texas, the timing couldn’t be better. Recent legislative changes have opened the door for commercial oyster farming in state waters, making it possible for researchers and industry leaders to move from concept to commercialization.

“The center will leverage the unique potential of the Texas coastline to expand production while ensuring environmentally responsible food systems,” said Dr. Ahmed Mahdy, TAMU-CC Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation.

The CMA will support the entire marine aquaculture industry through research, education, and technology development. It will focus on four key areas: breeding and genetics, sustainable production systems, aquaculture-environment interactions, and development of marine bioproducts.

“We’re excited to explore the different species we can work with here — like seaweed,” Hollenbeck said. “Seaweed is a source of products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and bio-stimulants that can improve crop yields. It also has benefits to the environment.”

To ensure the long-term success of marine aquaculture in Texas, the CMA is also prioritizing workforce development. The center will offer hands-on training in marine biology, fisheries, and aquacultures as it prepares students and professionals to enter a fast-growing industry with a vast global impact.

“We’re preparing the next generation of aquaculture experts through immersive research and industry partnerships,” said Dr. Juan Landivar-Bowles, Director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Corpus Christi. “That investment in people is as important as the research itself.”

Over the next two years, the CMA will recruit top scientists and technical experts, secure private and federal funding, and establish sustainable revenue streams. A key part of that plan involves commercializing high-quality seed and improved germplasm — genetically refined stocks that boost yield and resilience in farmed aquatic species.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in the last few years with the oyster seed we are developing here,” Hollenbeck said. “The growth rate, resilience, and consistency are getting better and better each year. If we can keep improving the oysters that are available to farmers, that is a big win for oyster farmers and the product they take to market.”

The environmental benefits of marine aquaculture are as significant as the economic ones. Farming oysters, for example, helps clean the water column and creates habitat for other marine life. When done responsibly, aquaculture reduces pressure on wild fisheries and supports coastal restoration efforts.

As the first major center of its kind in Texas, the CMA will help expand the state’s food systems, bring new life to the coast, and turn the Gulf into a hotbed of aquaculture innovation.

“In Texas, we are just at the beginning of ocean-based farming,” Hollenbeck said. “We can learn a lot from what has been developed in other states and around the world, but we can also take things in new and interesting directions. That’s the most exciting part.”