Charlotte Parrott was inspired to explore opportunities in the aquaculture industry after seeing the positive impact the operations of Grieg Seafood NL had on her hometown.

“I quickly found that it was something I was very passionate about—an industry consisting of people from all over the globe sharing a desire to produce a sustainable food source for their communities and families,” she said.

This week, she’s part of the first cohort of students to collect their degrees for the two-year Master of Marine Studies (Aquaculture) program, offered by the Marine Institute’s School of Fisheries.

'Haven’t looked back’

Originally from Burin, NL, Ms. Parrott completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Memorial University in 2023. Knowing she wanted to further her education, she found the MMS (Aquaculture) program at MI.

“I had a front row seat as Grieg Seafood NL established their Placentia Bay operations in my hometown,” she shared.

“Seeing the positive impact the company had on my community through providing reliable employment within a rural area, inspired me to research aquaculture programs available through the university. I haven’t looked back since!”

Hands-on learning

Composed of both coursework and a 12-week internship, the opportunity for hands-on learning was a point of interest for Ms. Parrott.

“I’m a hands-on learner, so being able to physically apply my knowledge from the classroom to the industry was incredibly rewarding,” she shared.

Luckily, she had the opportunity to complete her work term with Grieg Seafood NL—the company that initially inspired her to research the world of aquaculture.

One of her favorite memories from the classroom component of the program was the feed trial she and her classmates took part in.

Divided into groups, students were responsible for feeding a tank of rainbow trout every morning before class and every evening after class.

The goal of the project was to feed the fish as efficiently as possible, resulting in low feed wastage and low feed conversion ratios (FCR).

“The trial took a lot of coordination and dedication from all team members,” she said. “It also taught our class an essential lesson in our industry.”

Making an impact

Ms. Parrott now works with the Newfoundland and Labrador Government as an Aquaculture Development Officer in St. Alban’s.

“I’m very proud to represent MI as a recent graduate entering into the workforce,” she said.

 “I’m delighted to be a part of the aquaculture industry and contributing to a sustainable future.”