Raceways

Introduction Raceways are considered flow-through systems. Beging simple to construct they are some of the oldest designs in aquaculture. Water sources for raceway aquaculture operations are usually streams, springs, reservoirs or deep wells.

What materials? What do you need to make a raceway? In today’s market...lots of concrete!

How long? Length x width of 6:1 is recommended. This prevents the fish stock from swimming in circular movements, which would cause debris to build up in the center. If the width is too large this could result in a feeble current speed which is not desirable (see below). Length is usually constrained by the water quality or stocking density.

How deep? Average depth of a raceway for fin fish, such as rainbow trout, is about three feet. This means each section in a raceway should be about 90 ft long and 6-9 ft wide. A slope of 1-2% doesn’t hurt either!

How many fish? For trout, stocking rates of 30 to 50 kg/m 3 are normal at the end of a rearing cycle! While for marine species, such as sea-bass and sea-bream, the achievable load is lower, between 15 and 20 kg/m 3. Raceway volume required = total amount of fish in kg/stocking rate in kg per m 3.