Aquarium’s new facility to raise fish almost complete
Mystic — Mystic Aquarium has installed most of the 40 tanks in its new $10 million Milne Center for Ocean Science and Conservation, which it will use to raise animals ranging from small invertebrates to sharks and rays.
Last week crews were continuing to prepare the tanks to be filled with water and fish. The aquarium plans to use the aquaculture facility to raise fish for its own research work and exhibits as well as for other facilities that are members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The association has 238 accredited zoos and aquarium in 12 countries, though most are in the United States.
During a tour of the facility, David Cochran, the aquarium’s curator of fish and invertebrates, said the fresh and saltwater tanks range in size from 25 gallons to 26,000 gallons. State-of-the-art systems to filtrate, monitor and maintain proper water conditions have also been installed.
Cochran said plans are being developed to determine exactly what fish will be raised in the facility when it opens.
“It’s a very versatile space. It can
handle anything we want to do with it,” he said.
Cochran said that if the aquarium needs to close down an exhibit for renovation it now has the space to hold the animals while that work takes place. Animals that also need to be moved out of an exhibit due to medical concerns can also be housed in one of the tanks.
The aquarium also has an animal rescue clinic to care for stranded animals as well as a new hospital suite with an operating room, examining room and radiograph room for imaging.
Also part of the facility is a food preparation kitchen and aquaculture lab. He said the aquarium is also developing plans for public tours of the facility once it opens to give visitors another behind-thescenes look at how the aquarium operates including its extensive research work.
“One of the things we want to highlight is the aquaculture research being done here,” Cochran said.
The new building also includes conference and classroom space. The aquarium has also renovated 10,000 feet of space at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus into laboratory space.