The name says it all.

The Balaton Bay Reef Training and Innovation Center is a house of mystery and most certainly innovation. I discovered that while attending the commissioning ceremony Wednesday for the facility and being lucky enough to join more than 200 others on the tours that followed. What is most striking as you walk in the large concrete building is the brain power that’s inside.

Our tour guide for my group, Adity Biswas, quickly introduced herself as an algae expert. She is from India, but earned her master’s at California State University-East Bay. We next met Dr. Misael Rosales who focuses on shrimp growth. He graduated from the Universidad de Sonora in Mexico with bachelor of science in biology with emphasis in aquaculture. He spent time at the Fish Nutrition Laboratory and Aqua-cultural Research and Teaching Facility of Texas A&M University. The tidal basin technology being used by tru Shrimp was developed at Texas A&M.

Angie Landsman is the director of habitat and microbiology at tru Shrimp. She earned her Bachelor of science in chemistry with minor in biology from South Dakota State University.

Lisa Broderius is in charge of the salt water that circulates and recycles in the tidal basins. She received her bachelor of science degree in environmental science with an emphasis in hydrology from Bemidji State University. She earned her master’s of science in geology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Tim Goss works on refining methods for shrimp harvesting. He has 20 years of experience in engineering. He earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering form South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Dr. Rosales explained why it’s a good idea that the tru Shrimp facilities will be many miles away from the coasts. Apparently diseases can easily spread to shrimp farms that are located close together. Employees that will work in the facility are required to change into provided uniforms at the entrance. Apparently the clothing that employees wear to work are considered dangerous for the shrimp.

“We are close to grocery stores which most likely have shrimp, which most likely came from farms that most likely had diseases in the past,” Dr. Rosales told us. “So clean uniforms will be provided. Several sanitation stations will also be available to wash hands and arms with soap. Food is not going to be allowed in the production area. Seafood is not going to be allowed in the facility because that’s another vector for diseases.”

Goss talked to our group as the feeding system designed by Action Manufacturing in Marshall zipped up and down the tidal basin in front of us.

“The idea is to get the feed in front of the animals all the time,” Goss said. “We don’t want them searching around for it. We want them to stay right where they are at and have the feed drop right in their space.”

“How many times do you feed them?” one person in our group asked. “Don’t know yet. That’s one of the research things.” Goss answered.

Apparently, the shrimp are not picky eaters. On another tour stop, employee Louis DuCharme told us that “they will eat their little brother if they are not fed properly.”

He also said they are good jumpers. He said tru Shrimp has tried various materials to keep the shrimp from jumping out of the tidal basins.

“They can jump through a hole that big,” he said while putting two fingers together to make a small circle.

Employee Jesse Miller talked about the harvesting as he stood in front of large square pipe that went straight up. He made it sound like the trip for the shrimp heading for harvesting might be fun.

“The shrimp will arrive in a fun amusement ride up into the elevator where they will drop into a wonderful tote of ice water. It takes 10 to 15 seconds before there are no signs of life.”

Before the tour, tru Shrimp Board Chairman Brian Knochenmus described an ambitious plan to eventually capture 10 percent of the shrimp harvesting market. He said that would take 40 facilities in the upper Midwest at the size of the facility tru Shrimp will be building in Luverne.

There is no doubt that tru Shrimp has the brain power and know how to accomplish that goal.

Clarification

Last week’s column didn’t clearly state the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce’s present role with Sounds of Summer. Chamber Director Brad Gruhot clarified that role.

“We no longer plan and coordinate the event, but we financially support (by sponsoring) and promote the event,” Gruhot said. “In fact, we open our doors to our office for the bands to take a breather between sets.”