Personnel
Douglas G. Drennan II, Founder and Managing Member Douglas Drennan is the President and founder of Aquaculture Systems Technologies, LLC of New Orleans, LA and the General Manager of Aquaculture Supply, LLC. He received his B.S. from the University of New Orleans (1987) in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, and an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology (Aquaculture) with a minor in Fish Genetics from Mississippi State University (1992).
After graduation from MSU, Douglas worked as the Aquaculture Specialist for Mississippi Delta Community College, where he worked closely with catfish producers to develop an aquaculture curriculum to be taught at MDCC. While on the faculty of MDCC, Douglas also managed the "AquaTank Project" for Mississippi Power and Light, an intensive recirculating aquaculture system located in Greenville, MS.
In 1991 Douglas joined the Civil Engineering Aquatics Systems Laboratory at Louisiana State University as a Level II Research Associate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the direction of Dr. Ronald F. Malone. At LSU Douglas conducted research into the development and evaluation of integrated, intensive recirculating aquaculture systems, water quality management for recirculating aquaculture systems and was involved in the initial testing and development of the patented Bead Filter Technologies.
In 1995, Douglas obtained the manufacturing rights to the Bead Filter Technologies and founded Aquaculture Systems Technologies, LLC to manufacture and market Bead Filters. The company has since expanded it's product line to offer other specialized equipment for use in the intensive culture of animals in closed recirculating aquaculture systems.
In 2000, Douglas and partner Peter Freeman purchased Aquaculture Supply from Frank Hoff and relocated the company to New Orleans, LA. Through AST Douglas has applied for an received funding for five Phase I Small Business Innovative Research Projects and three Phase II projects from USDA and NOAA/Sea Grant. Currently funded topics include the development of an extremely low water loss airlift bead filter for marine use, a multi-stage low head oxygenation system use in marine systems and a computer controlled continuous culture algae production system called HISTAR.
Douglas has also been instrumental in promoting aquaculture as a teaching tool to secondary and vocational schools and currently works close with several schools in the New Orleans area. Douglas has authored several peer-reviewed publications and numerous conference papers on recirculating aquaculture systems as well as presented scientific papers at numerous national and international conferences.
Douglas has been a member of the World Aquaculture Society since 1987, and he was elected Vice-President of the U.S. Aquaculture Society in 2002. Additionally, Douglas has been a member of the American Fisheries Society since 1987. In 1990 he served on the AFS Student Affairs committee, in 1994 he served as chairman of the AFS Student Activities Committee for the Bioengineering Section, and in 1995 he served on the AFS Aquaculture Committee of the Southern Division. Douglas is currently a member of the American Tilapia Association, and the Aquaculture Engineering Society. Douglas was elected to the Board of Directors of the U.S. Aquaculture Suppliers Association in 1997 and currently is serving his final year as President of that organization.
In 1998 Douglas was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Aquaculture Association and is currently serving his second term on the board. As a member of the NAA board of directors Douglas has twice served as chairman of the Auction Committee and is currently chairman of the Research and Product Development Committee. Douglas has also served as a member of the WAS Long Range Planning Committee since 1999. Douglas has a long-term commitment to the Aquaculture Industry.