Exploring the Aquaculture Industry

What are terms used in aquaculture? Aquaculture - production of aquatic vegetation and animals. Aqua-crop - commercially produced water species. Freshwater - water that contains little or no salt. Saltwater - water containing over 16.5 parts per thousand of salt.

Fish - animals that have gills instead of lungs and are vertebrates (having backbones). Hatchery - facility where eggs are incubated and hatched by artificial means. Fry - a newly hatched fish.

Water quality - used to describe how suitable water is to a specific use. Surface runoff - water that is not absorbed by the soil from rain.

Well water - water drawn up by wells from underground aquifers. Spring water - water coming from natural openings in the earth and the quality is similar to well water.

What major species are used in aquaculture?

Tilapia Fish well suited for aquaculture. Originally found in Africa. Grow & reproduce very quickly. Sensitive to cold temperature. Used to control vegetation in ponds and lakes.

Shrimp Name used to describe 2,000 species of crustaceans. Bottom dwellers and scavengers. Feed slowly on plant and animal organisms. Prawn - any large shrimp.

Lobsters Crustaceans with hard shells that live in saltwater areas. Found on the bottom of the ocean under rocks and in holes. Eat other lobsters, crabs, snails, and small fish.

Alligators Large reptiles that are used for their meat and hides. Alligator farms located in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Bullfrogs Legs used for meat and are in great demand. Used for research. Hard to raise commercially because of complex life cycle.

Eels Used for food, especially in Japan. Raised in ponds. Caught by fishermen in their natural environments.

Bluegills A sunfish that has a deep compressed head and a small mouth. Fairly easy to produce. Well adapted to various climates.

How do you manage and feed aquaculture species? Production cycle - the complete production of a crop from seed stock to market size. Water environments can be complex, careful feeding and management is required for a profitable business. Aquatic animals will become diseased and inefficient if they are malnourished.

Proper amount of protein, fat, minerals, carbohydrates, and vitamins must be fed according to what type of animal you are raising. Natural foods or foods that grow naturally, like plankton, that can be harvested and fed to aqua crops. Man-made feeds are produced based upon the needs of the aqua crop - come in a variety of forms including pellets & meal.

How do I manage my aquaculture species? Management includes: monitoring facilities monitoring equipment maintaining water quality

What are freshwater and saltwater production systems like? Water facility - the environment or structure in which your aqua crop is raised. Tanks Made of metal, concrete and other material used to raise some species. Come in various sizes and shapes. Easier to manage because of size.

Water Facilities - Ponds Water structures made by humans or created by nature. Vary in size. Cannot have flowing water. Need to be designed for easy harvesting. Usually fresh water. Only 3 to 5 feet deep. Need to be monitored for water quality and excess vegetation.

Water Facilities - Raceways Human-made and use flowing water. Normally long & narrow. 3 to 4 feet deep. Advantages Have more oxygen. Carrying waste away. Disadvantages Use of pumps. More water.

Water Facilities – Pens and Cages Materials that confine species to a small area in a very large body of water. Used to make harvesting and managing aqua crops easier.

How do you harvest and market aqua crops? Harvesting the capturing of fish used for consumption. raised in tanks is easy due to size. dip nets used in tanks. seine used in raceways. ponds may have to be drained.

Marketing can be directly to consumer. sold to others then sold to the consumers. always have a dependable buyer for your products before you invest money to produce.