Yonathan Zohar

Yonathan Zohar
Professor and Chair of the Department of Marine Biotechnology at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland and Head of its Aquaculture Research Center
Focus Professor Zohar conducts research and development programs in sustainable marine aquaculture and has integrated basic science with applications in the aquaculture industry. Fields of expertise include broodstock management, hatchery technologies, recirculating marine aquaculture and biotechnology.
Education B.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Oceanography/Marine Biology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Ph.D. in Fish Biology and Aquaculture, University of Paris, France
Background Over 35 years of R&D experience in marine aquaculture and biotechnology, integrating academia with industry; from 1982-1990 he led the group on fish reproduction at the National Center for Mariculture, Eilat, Israel and from 1997-2010 he served as the Director of the University of Maryland Center of Marine Biotechnology.
Notable accomplishment Published over 200 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters and is the author of 10 issued international patents in aquaculture. He is the inventor of “Reproboost”, a spawning-induction aid that has been used broadly in the aquaculture industry world-wide. Received multiple national and international honors and awards.
Why aquaculture? Our oceans are simply running out of fish. Seafood can not continue to be the last hunt-and-gather animal crop. We must develop environmentally-responsible aquaculture that can provide the growing world population with quality seafood. Diversification in aquaculture will also enable the production of marine-based bioenergy and beneficial natural products and pharmaceuticals.