STARKVILLE – Mark Peterman joined the Mississippi State University Extension Service as the new aquaculture associate March 1.

Peterman returned to MSU after nine years at Auburn University’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, where he was a member of the farm management team.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in fisheries management from MSU and a master’s degree in aquaculture from Auburn University.

After graduating MSU, Peterman served as facility manager of the aquaculture unit at the H.H. Leveck Animal Research Center on the MSU campus. He also managed the MSU Coastal Aquaculture Unit in Gulfport and the Experimental Seafood Processing Laboratory in Pascagoula.

Peterman, a native of Gulfport, said he is happy to be back home and working with Mississippi producers.

“I'm honored to be joining the MSU Extension team and look forward to serving the interests of the aquaculture stakeholders of northeast Mississippi,” Peterman said.

While at Auburn, Peterman oversaw a variety of fresh, warm-water fish production systems and worked extensively with commercial aquaculture producers and recreational fisheries.

“Mark brings a vast amount of experience to this position, and we are very proud to have him join us,” said Steve Martin, head of the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center. “He has a solid understanding of the catfish industry from the perspective of a producer and a researcher.”

Peterman is a member of several professional organizations, including Catfish Farmers of America, World Aquaculture Society, American Fisheries Society, Alabama Fisheries Association and the Aquatic Plant Management Society.

Peterman’s office is located in the Oktibbeha County Extension Office in Starkville. He may be reached at 662-323-5916 or markp@ext.msstate.edu.