SUNY Cobleskill is hoping to have a close relationship with Intelligent Fish, the company looking to buy the vacant Guilford Mills plant in Cobleskill.
The fish-farming company plans to raise and process Coho salmon, which would tie in well with SUNY’s aquaculture program, according to college Provost Anne Myers.
“It’s exciting because it’s a practical business venture on one hand and visionary on the other,” Dr. Myers said.
A start-up company, Intelligent Fish last month signed a letter of intent to buy the plant, which Schoharie County took from the previous owner for non-payment of taxes.
County supervisors have responded to the offer, and the deal is under negotiation.
The company’s business plan calls for hiring 60 people. At the same time, Intelligent Fish will likely offer internships and mentoring for students in the college’s aquaculture program.
Also, Kevin Hopkins, one of the principals of Intelligent Fish, is a professor specializing in aquaculture at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.
SUNY Cobleskill officials hope to establish a student and faculty exchange with the Hilo program, Dr. Myers said.
John Foster founded the college’s aquaculture program more than 20 years ago. Today, the program has tanks and ponds around the campus, raising cold-water fish such as trout and arctic char, warm-water fish such as tilapia, prawns and fresh-water lobster, endangered species, and ornamental fish for aquariums.
Dr. Foster, who’s met with Intelligent Fish representatives, said the company’s production will be somewhat similar to SUNY Cobleskill’s.
The college system uses little municipal water because of the chemicals in it and also cleans and recycles water to minimize usage.
Intelligent Fish will do the same, Dr. Foster said.
Also, the college uses aquaponics––growing plants with fish water––to clean the water, as will Intelligent Fish, he said.
Finally, the college program must help pay for itself and does so by selling fish for stocking, food and other purposes. Being a business, Intelligent Fish must pay for itself and then some.
“Ours is experimental or pilot, but it’s not an ivory tower thing,” Dr. Foster said. “We must meet our expenses.
“The difference is in scale. Ours is small compared to a whole commercial operation.”
Students now visit hatcheries and have internships around the country, but having a commercial company nearby will be a new experience, he said.
“We take students for visits, but this will be different than going for a day or a weekend,” Dr. Foster said. “This will be great for our program.”
Right now, such plans are just in the idea stage, according to Agnes Cleary, a public relations spokesperson for Intelligent Fish.
“Down the road, when production is up and running, we see on-site internships and mentoring,” Ms. Cleary said.
“Right now, that’s the form, but we hope to develop a more formal relationship.”
SUNY’s aquaculture division has 40-plus students in the four-year program. Dr. Foster sees that growing as the need for food production increases.
“There’s tremendous potential,” he said. “Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing fields, and this will be so close to the college. It’s a huge opportunity for us and for them, too.”