Location	Funding	Institution	Principal Investigator(s)
Hawaii	$83,306	University of Hawaii, Hilo (PACRC)	Maria Haws, Ph.D.

Project Objectives:

Year 1 and 2
1. Design, develop and test depuration units that are suitable to local conditions, cost-effective and in compliance with the unique Hawaii DOH regulations. Year 1.
2. Determine if depuration affects oyster quality and determine if salting enhances the lepto-organic properties of oysters grown in Hawaiian fishponds. Year 1.
3. Quantify Vibrio vulnificus and V. parahaemolytus in pond water and in oyster tissues before and after depuration. Year 1-2.
4. Design, build and test a nursery system that is suitable for conditions found in Hawaiian fishponds. Year 1-2.
5. Train farmers in two critical industry topics: 1) depuration and food safety; 2) and setting and nursery methods. Year 1-2.