Aquaculture Specialist Joins Texas Sea Grant
Texas Sea Grant has hired Mario Marquez as the program’s new aquaculture specialist to meet the needs of the recent legalization of the oyster aquaculture industry in Texas.
The Texas Sea Grant College Program is a collaboration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of Texas and universities across the state.
Texas Sea Grant’s team includes administrative staff, program coordination, communications, and extension agents along the Texas coast.
Coastal Science. Community Solutions.
Peer-reviewed publications, resources, and materials.
Volunteer organization of citizens in science, workforce, and education advising on important matters related to TXSG.
Texas Sea Grant partners with many local, government, non-profit, education, and industry organizations.
Texas Sea Grant maintains an extensive network of partnerships spanning federal, state, regional, academic, non-profit, and industry sectors.
Texas Sea Grant’s open positions.
Supports healthy ecosystems by education and outreach, programming, and events on sustainable practices.
Supports development of innovative policies, institutional capacities, and management approaches that increase community resilience.
Promotes environmental literacy by supporting students and the workforce through the development of STEM educational programs, tools, and products.
Works to ensure safe, secure, and sustainable supplies of domestic seafood and decrease our reliance on seafood imports, and support healthy fish stocks and vibrant recreational fisheries
Texas Sea Grant’s outreach serves the communities and regions of the Texas coast. Science for the sustainable management and conservation of Texas’ coastal and marine resources is central to Texas Sea Grant’s mission.
Extension is a two-way transfer of knowledge between researchers and community stakeholders.
Providing science-based programs across all educational levels, enhancing STEM learning in marine-related fields.
Supports innovative, science-based solutions to address environmental, economic, and social challenges.
Texas Sea Grant welcomes the help of the community to help monitor, protect, and clean our coasts.
Trainings, Workshops, Advising, Certification and Technical Assistance.
Find out if Texas Sea Grant is hosting, attending, or leading an event in your area.
Texas Sea Grant supports marine- and coastal-related research at universities across the state through a competitive grant program.
Texas Sea Grant will continue to support cutting-edge research in the areas of marine-related energy sources, climate change, coastal processes, energy efficiency, hazards, storm water management and tourism.
Monthly Texas Sea Grant newsletter.
Get Hooked, quarterly Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Seafood newsletter
Annual magazine about education, outreach, and research supported by Texas Sea Grant.
The Texas Sea Grant College Program is a collaboration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the State of Texas and universities across the state.
Texas Sea Grant’s team includes administrative staff, program coordination, communications, and extension agents along the Texas coast.
Coastal Science. Community Solutions.
Peer-reviewed publications, resources, and materials.
Volunteer organization of citizens in science, workforce, and education advising on important matters related to TXSG.
Texas Sea Grant partners with many local, government, non-profit, education, and industry organizations.
Texas Sea Grant maintains an extensive network of partnerships spanning federal, state, regional, academic, non-profit, and industry sectors.
Texas Sea Grant’s open positions.
Supports healthy ecosystems by education and outreach, programming, and events on sustainable practices.
Supports development of innovative policies, institutional capacities, and management approaches that increase community resilience.
Promotes environmental literacy by supporting students and the workforce through the development of STEM educational programs, tools, and products.
Works to ensure safe, secure, and sustainable supplies of domestic seafood and decrease our reliance on seafood imports, and support healthy fish stocks and vibrant recreational fisheries
Texas Sea Grant’s outreach serves the communities and regions of the Texas coast. Science for the sustainable management and conservation of Texas’ coastal and marine resources is central to Texas Sea Grant’s mission.
Extension is a two-way transfer of knowledge between researchers and community stakeholders.
Providing science-based programs across all educational levels, enhancing STEM learning in marine-related fields.
Supports innovative, science-based solutions to address environmental, economic, and social challenges.
Texas Sea Grant welcomes the help of the community to help monitor, protect, and clean our coasts.
Trainings, Workshops, Advising, Certification and Technical Assistance.
Find out if Texas Sea Grant is hosting, attending, or leading an event in your area.
Texas Sea Grant supports marine- and coastal-related research at universities across the state through a competitive grant program.
Texas Sea Grant will continue to support cutting-edge research in the areas of marine-related energy sources, climate change, coastal processes, energy efficiency, hazards, storm water management and tourism.
Monthly Texas Sea Grant newsletter.
Get Hooked, quarterly Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Seafood newsletter
Annual magazine about education, outreach, and research supported by Texas Sea Grant.
Texas Sea Grant has hired Mario Marquez as the program’s new aquaculture specialist to meet the needs of the recent legalization of the oyster aquaculture industry in Texas.
Jun 24, 2020 By Sara Carney
2 minutes
Texas Sea Grant
The recent legalization of oyster aquaculture in Texas brings opportunities to support of this emerging industry. To meet these new needs, Texas Sea Grant has hired Mario Marquez as the program’s new aquaculture specialist. He joins the extensive Texas Sea Grant extension team, which provides practical and science-based support to the Texas coast.
Marquez will be based in Palacios, TX, and he will aid the expansion and development of the oyster aquaculture industry. In partnership with the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, he will coordinate with public and private stakeholders to facilitate economical and sustainable oyster aquaculture. This assistance to the oyster aquaculture industry will include planning and program evaluation; assisting the integration of oyster hatcheries, seed production and oyster farm operations; and educating and guiding stakeholders.
One of Marquez’s first major projects will be aiding the creation of a website to inform aspiring oyster farmers on how to navigate the permitting process and successfully start their new business.
“I’m so excited to help in developing this new oyster aquaculture industry along the Texas coast and growing some of the best oysters any Texan would be proud of,” Marquez said.
Marquez comes to Texas Sea Grant with extensive experience in aquaculture and oyster fisheries. He is currently obtaining his PhD in environmental sciences, focusing on the ecosystem benefits of oyster aquaculture in Oyster Bay, FL. He was also a founder and CEO of The Oyster Company, LLC., an oyster farm in Northern Florida.
Marquez is a fellow with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Cooperative Science Center. He also serves as an advisory board member for Sea Turtle Inc. and Fishing’s Future.
Prior to working on his PhD, Marquez received a Master’s of Science and a Bachelor’s of Science in biology, both from the University of Texas at Brownsville.
“We are thrilled to have Mario joining Texas Sea Grant,” said Cindy Lyle, Senior Associate Director and Extension Program Leader at Texas Sea Grant. “Oyster farmers will need assistance navigating the permitting process as well as launching and growing their businesses, and Mario’s expertise will be immensely helpful in this process and beyond.”