Have you noticed more seaweed products on your grocery shelves and wondered where they came from? Did you know that Washington state leads the nation in farmed shellfish, with popular mollusks including clams, mussels, and oysters? Could you picture yourself working the low tides at an oyster farm or carefully growing new batches of algae in a shellfish hatchery? If any of these statements apply to you, then the Seaweed and Mollusk Culturing Techniques Certificate can help you explore these exciting forms of sustainable aquaculture. Intended for students with prior college education in a related field and/or relevant work experience, this advanced level certificate skips the basics and dives straight into the technical expertise to design, operate, and sustain shellfish and seaweed cultures, with a focus on hatchery production. Course topics include live feed production of micro-algae, reproduction and fertilizing techniques for shellfish and seaweed, mollusk nutrition and health, and seed production for farming operations. Students may also customize their certificate plan with several elective courses ranging from animal genetics to aquatic chemistry to data analysis and more. Courses are centered around the award-winning and student-operated Whatcom Creek Hatchery, which is the only college hatchery in Washington that hosts a training facility dedicated to workforce development in marine aquaculture. Students also conduct off-site training with state, industry, and tribal partners to gain experience on real working farms and other hatcheries. Sustainable farming for domestic seafood is in high demand. Are you ready to join this growing workforce? Meet now with an academic advisor to build your customized certificate plan and get started. Included in the AAS- Shellfish Specialization degree.