AU, Ocean Univ. of China partner for aquaculture and environmental sciences

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AUBURN, AL (WSFA) - Leaders from Auburn University and Ocean University of China marked the beginning of the OUC-AU Joint Center for Aquaculture and Environmental Sciences with a ceremony on Wednesday.

The partnership is a result of a decades-long relationship.

Aquaculture, or underwater agriculture, is a big business in Alabama. With the schools' shared strengths in fisheries, aquatic and environmental sciences, this collaboration is a win-win situation.

The main focus of the center's work will be a gr ant program that will provide seed funding for scientist research to move forward.

"Fish products are a very important source of protein for people around the world. It is probably one of our most efficient sources of protein we can produce. We are expanding production in this in the United States and around the world. This Joint Center gives us a way of increasing production of fisheries and aquaculture products. It also enables us to address the environmental problems that may come about as a result of that production activity," said Paul Patterson, Auburn University Dean of College of Agriculture.

To begin, the Joint Center will fund eight research projects. Those projects will start in the coming weeks.