The Roger Williams University Center for Economic and Environmental Development is enrolling students to its non-credit course in Practical Shellfish Farming for the Winter 2011 semester.

This course will provide interested individuals the technical information needed to confidently undertake a small shellfish farming enterprise in Rhode Island and nearby areas of southern New England. All aspects of shellfish farming, from the broodstock to the market, will be covered over the twelve-week course. Students will learn the basic principles of hatchery, nursery and grow-out operations; as well as risk management, siting and permitting, and business management.

Associate Professor and Aquaculture Extension Specialist, Dr. Dale Leavitt, will instruct the course which will be held on the Bristol, RI campus of Roger Williams University.

The course will consist of a minimum of 12 classes, which will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The class will commence on January 12, 2011 and run through April 13, 2011, weather permitting. The fee for the entire twelve-week course, including all handout materials, is $120 per student. Students may attend classes on a drop-in basis at a rate of $10 per evening session. Pre-registration is preferred by contacting Cheryl Francis at (401) 254-3110 or cfrancis@rwu.edu, or Dale Leavitt at dleavitt@rwu.edu.