Michael H. Schwarz

Aquaculture Specialist

Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center

Expertise: Aquaculture; Recirculating Aquaculture

 

Phone: 757-727-4861 FAX: 757-727-4871 e-mail:

Research Interests
Recirculating systems design optimization, oxidizer application and effects on water chemistry in marine systems, new species development for intensive mariculture, production species diet optimization, effluent nutrient recovery, polyculture.

Personal Information
Mr. Schwarz joined the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences faculty at Virginia Tech in 1997. He came to Virginia Tech having received a Masters Degree in Aquaculture from Texas A&M University. His Masters work centered on design and implementation of a thermal refuge, which was placed within outdoor production ponds to protect cultured fish from winter cold-kill. Applications of this technology are now in place at numerous facilities along the Gulf Coast. Mr. Schwarz has a strong industry background, with extensive experience in both intensive indoor recirculating and outdoor pond production of freshwater and marine food fish. His background includes aquaculture consulting on four continents, encompassing everything from closed-life-cycle intensive indoor production facilities to cage and net pen culture.

At present, Mr. Schwarz is located at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (VSAREC) in Hampton, VA. Performing there as an aquaculture specialist, he is working directly with industry applying new and innovative aquaculture production techniques at various facilities in Virginia.

In 2005, he received his Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Education Programming.

Current Projects
The VSAREC aquaculture research program is integrated with its sister program, the Virginia Tech Aquaculture Center, toward enhancement of economic and environmental sustainability in marine aquaculture. Program focus is toward enhancement and optimization of technologies, production systems, and protocols in hatchery and larviculture phases. In 2001 the VSAREC began intensive research toward development of cobia as a viable aquaculture species in the US. To date, fingerling production has attained industrial viability. This success, in combinaiton with advances in low salinity production technologies have helped spawn Virginia Cobia Farms; the 1st of its kind land-locked low salinity cobia production facility in the world.

Michael serves on the board of the Organic Aquaculture Institute (OAI), a non-profit research organization that was founded to conduct research in the field of organic aquaculture. OAI represents the only research institute in the United States that focuses solely upon investigation in organic aquafarming. As the market for organic food and seafood in particular, continues to grow and expand globally, our mission is to provide organic aqua producers with technical support and extension of applied results that arise from our research projects. It is our desire to encourage the organic farming of fish and other seafood products. A major mission of OAI is to assist the development of a sustainable industry which in turn will bring economic opportunity to rural areas, while providing healthy, safe, and environmentally sound food for consumers around the globe.

A significant species diversification initiative began at the VSAREC in 2006. Given the program's significant achievements in marine finfish larviculture, it was decided marine ornamentals was a natural extension and a viable conduit for industrial expansion. At present 6 species of marine finfish are in the hatchery, with more species under review for program incorporation. Further larviculture research to optimize production protocols is ongoing for species presently under reproduction.

Recent Publications

Books

2002. Jahncke, M.L. and M. H. Schwarz. Chapter 3. Public, animal, and environmental aquaculture health issues in industrialized countries. In Public, Animal and Environmental Aquaculture Health Issues. (Jahncke, M.L., E.S. Garrett, A. Reilly, and R.E. Martin, Eds.). Pp. 67-102. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 605 Third Avenue. New York, NY 10158-0012.

Papers

2007. Holt, J.G., C. Faulk, and M.H. Schwarz. Larviculture of the Warm Water Marine Species Cobia (Rachycentron canadum). Aquaculture,(In press).

2007. Schwarz, M.H., E. McLean, and S.R. Craig. Cobia Aquaculture: Research, Developments and Commercial Production. Book chapter: Research experience with cobia: larval rearing, juvenile nutrition and general physiology. Pp 1 – 17. (I.C. Liau and E.M. Leano, ed). Co-Published by: Asian Fisheries Society; The Fisheries Society of Taiwan; World Aquaculture Society; and National Taiwan Ocean University.

2007. Schwarz, M.H., S.R. Craig, B. Delbos, and E. McLean. Cobia larviculture protocols effectively replace live algae with algal paste concentrates. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. (Submitted).

2007. Schwarz, M.H., D. Mowry, E. McLean, and S.R. Craig. Performance of advanced juvenile cobia reared under different thermal regimes. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. Volume 19(4)

2006. Schwarz, M.H., B. Delbos, E. McLean, and S.R. Craig. Intensive marine finfish larviculture. Virginia Sea Grant. VSG-06-10.

2006. Craig, S.R., M.H. Schwarz, and E. McLean. Juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum) can utilize a wide range of protein and lipid levels without impacts on production characteristics. Aquaculture. Volume 261(1): 384-391.

2006. Schwarz, M.H., E. McLean, S.R. Craig, and Y.M. Silva. Study on Cobia Research. Panorama Acuicola. Sept/Oct.

2006. King, N, M.H. Schwarz, and Brendan Delbos. Hatchery trials a success. Fish Farming International. January, 2006.

2006. E. McLean, S.R. Craig, and M.H. Schwarz. Virginia Tech Presenters Feature Prominently at AQUA 2006. CFAST. Summer issue.

2006. Schwarz, M.H., E. McLean, and S. Craig. Cobia Update -- Fast-Growing Species First Focus of International Aquaculture Initiative. Global Aquaculture Advocate. 9(2): 50-52. ISSN: 1018-3166

2006. Schwarz, M.H., and J.D. Gibson. A Needs Assessment of Aquaculture Extension Agents, Specialists, and Program Administrators in Extension Programming. In: Proceedings of the 22nd Annual AIAEE Conference “International Teamwork in Agricultural and Extension Education”. Vol 22; pp 617 – 626.

2005. Mowry, D.E., M.H. Schwarz, K.H. Hartman, M.L. Jahncke and S.A. Smith. Efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in marine recirculating aquaculture systems holding summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus).  Journal of Applied Aquaculture 17:65-75

2005. Gonzales, S., S. R. Craig, E. McLean, M. H. Schwarz, G. J. Flick. Dietary protein Requirement for Southern Flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. 17(3): 37-50.

2005. Schwarz, M.H. New initiative to develop cobia. Fish Farming International. July, 2005.

2005. Craig, S.R., M.H. Schwarz, E. McLean.  Nutrition Research with Cobia.  Global Aquaculture Advocate 8(1): 76-78. ISSN: 1018-3166

2005. King, N. M.H. Schwarz. INVE Solutions in Cobia Rearing. Panorama da Aquicultura Magazine. December, 2005.

2004. Schwarz, M.H. Fingerling Production Still Bottleneck for Cobia Culture. Global Aquaculture Advocate 7(1):40-41.

2004. King, N., M.H. Schwarz, D. Mowry, J. Zimmerman. Intensive Work on Cobia Larvae.  Fish Farming International. October, 2004. 

2004. Mowry, D.E., M.H. Schwarz, S. Craig, J. Holt, J. Kaiser, O. Stevens, B. O’Hanlon. The Cobia Connection: Research Institutions and Private Sector Continue Collaboration to Develop Culture Protocols.  Hatchery International. 5(6): 12-15.

2003. Gaylord, T. G., M.H. Schwarz, G.M. Davitt, R.W. Cool, M.L. Jahncke and S.R. Craig. Thermal optima for the culture of juvenile summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus). Journal of Applied Aquaculture. 14 (3-4).

2003. Gaylord, T. G., M.H. Schwarz, G.M. Davitt, R.W. Cool, M.L. Jahncke and S.R. Craig. Dietary Lipid Utilization by Juvenile Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus).  Journal of the World Aquaculture Society. 34(2): 229-235.

2003. Flatfish Culture II.  (Michael H. Schwarz, Guest Editor).  Journal of Applied Aquaculture (Volume 14, No.3/4).  Hayworth Press, Inc. 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, New York 13904-1580 USA.

2003. Schwarz, M.H. Marine Finfish Larviculture.  Aquaculture Magazine.  29(6): 14-19.

2003. Schwarz, M.H. Flatfish Research & Production in USA – Status & Perspectives. Global Aquaculture Advocate 6(1):73-74.

2003. Schwarz, M.H.  A side-looped recirculation system for marine fish larval production.  Hatchery International. Vol 4-1, Pg. 27 - 29.

2003. Cool, R.W., D.E. Mowry, M.H. Schwarz, M.L. Jahncke and D.E. Kauffman. Status of Aquaculture at the VSAREC. Virginia Aquaculture Association Newsletter. June, 2003.

2002. Jahncke, M.L., M.H. Schwarz, C.L. Browdy, A. Segars, A.D. Stockes, J.L. Silva, and D.S. Smith. HACCP - Risk Management Tool Controls Viral Pathogens at Shrimp Facilities. Global Aquaculture Advocate. Vol. 5, Issue 5, Pg. 72-74.

2002. Jahncke, M.L., C.L. Browdy, M.H. Schwarz, A. Segars, J.L. Silva, D.C. Smith, and A.D. Stokes.  Application of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Principles as a Risk Management Tool to Control Viral Pathogens at Shrimp Aquaculture Facilities. Virginia Sea Grant Publication VSG-02-10.

2002. Jahncke, M.L. and M. H. Schwarz.  Public, animal, and environmental aquaculture health issues in industrialized countries.  Chapter 3. In Public, Animal and Environmental Aquaculture Health Issues.  (Jahncke, M.L., E.S. Garrett, A. Reilly, and R.E. Martin, Eds.).  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  605 Third Avenue.  New York, NY 10158-0012. (Pg 67-102).

2002. Steven A. Smith, and Michael H. Schwarz. AQUACULTURE FACTSHEET #6,  “Dealing with Trichodina and trichodina-like species.” VCE publication # 600-205.