Meet Sea Grant Sustainable Fisheries Experts

Michael Ciaramella

Seafood Safety and Technology Specialist, New York Sea Grant - Michael works with New York's seafood industry, regulatory agencies and food and nutrition professionals on issues related to seafood safety, quality and marketing.

"My background in aquaculture and food science will allow me to help New York compete with regard to cultured seafood as that industry continues to grow to meet the demands of the local and global seafood markets."

William "Bill" Walton, Ph.D.

Oyster Aquaculture Extension Specialist, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant - Bill provides technical advice for shellfish farmers, identifies areas in Alabama and Mississippi for oyster aquaculture and communicates aquaculture developments to the public. 

"Shellfish aquaculture does a lot of great things; it raises food, provides habitat, and improves water quality. But, for me, it’s most about creating jobs in rural coastal communities and keeping these communities together."

Gabriela Bradt, Ph.D.

Commercial Fisheries Extension Specialist, New Hampshire Sea Grant - Gabriela's research aims to inform the use of invasive green crabs as a possible seafood product. This would help control the spread of the invasion, while also providing added income to local fishermen that are experiencing trouble with the current wild harvest fisheries.

"If we are going to have enough supply for restaurants and other markets...we need to be able to get a whole bunch of them [green crabs] to molt around the same time."