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JACKSONVILLE — A fish farm in Jacksonville in working to raise awareness about aquaculture.
Blue Ocean Farms is working UNC Wilmington and the Riverworks at Sturgeon City to grow and sell southern flounder.

Owner of Blue Ocean Farms, Shawn Longfellow, said he worked closely with the university to develop the most efficient means of growing the flounder.

"What were just trying to do here is prove that it's a viable industry, we have good technology that works, and that the product that comes out of the facility is fantastic quality," said Longfellow.

The Riverworks is a former waste water treatment plant that has been converted into an environmental education center and its executive director, J.P. McCann, said having a fish farm helps kids and adults learn about the industry.

"We had over 6,000 students and teachers last year and when they visit here one of the stops is the aquaculture building and they get an understanding of what it takes to grow fish and what value that has," said McCann.

One hundred pounds of the farmed flounder will feed attendees at this year's N.C. Aquaculture Development conference in New Bern which runs Feb. 9 through Feb. 11.