Fish Farming Career Guide and Counseling

Question: Where can I get the relevant training for medium scale fish farming? I am interested in setting up a commercial fish farm, though I have little or no knowledge of fish farming.

Answer: Depending on where you live you may have a lot of resources available to you. In most counties in the USA you have a county extension office that works with farms of all types. They have good info if you talk to them directly and they know who in their counties are already raising fish. Contacts with others in your area / region tends to be a greater help with raising unusual stock animals than companies bent on selling you their product. But be aware that the initial investment in fish farming can be very high cost to pay off time compared to other livestock.

Question: is fish farming a profitable business? how i can export? is any expert i can contact with them? i am from india. i like to start a fish farm, i need a help for make the farm like what are focus point to care before make the farm. please help me guys.

Answer: Aquaculture is basically a manufacturing business. As with any manufacturing business a person must produce a product that he feels has a good demand in the market place and will produce a good return profit. Aquaculture is generally spoken about in the press as the production of food fish. However, aquaculture includes anything that is raised in a water environment. As far as finfish are concerned, they can range from food fish for human consumption, ornamental fish for home aquariums, or baitfish for the sport fishing industry. It is up to the individual operator to examine the local market potential and determine what area he feels would be best to supply. The below links will give you a fairly good idea, and I think ornamental fish production is doing very good business in India and abroad now: http://www.growfish.com/faq.htm http://govdocs.aquake.org/cgi/content/abstract/2003/1201/12010010

Question: Why is Fish Farming better than Commercial Fishing? My opinion is that fish farming benefits the environment, but I want to know in more detail why; (for those that agree with me) and also why commercial fishing isn't that great. So far, 1. The boats cause pollution 2. More dangerous for people that are doing the fishing 3. Animals get caught in the nets

Answer: Also: 1- Won't destroy the natural balance of the oceans where there isn't enough food to get around. (Food chain) 2- Save some species of fish from extinction. 3- The fish are cheaper to buy, so people who have less money can buy more fish. 4- Cat fish could be produced by millions in a very very small area and poor people could be fed with the meat. 5- Create jobs that are not dangerous like fishing in the ocean.

Question: how can i start my fish farming business? how and from where should i start?i have raised several kinds of fresh water fish in my aquariums but i think farming is one step ahead.

Answer: Farming is many steps ahead. You'll need loks of land, lots of water and a bunch of money.

Question: Any fish farming going on in Haiti? More food from aquaculture than from land grown food - Haiti can do? Any fish farming going on in Haiti? More food from aquaculture than from land grown food - Haiti can do?

Answer: There is some and it is expanding. Like any such enterprise there are a multitude of problems and poverty makes those problems more severe. For instance the people lack knowledge of how to do it. So education is a big thing. Research is expensive and most people lack the resources to do such without there being government support in the information area. Then there are needs for facilities, design of facilities, and land and water. If you are growing in outdoor ponds, you must grow fish adapted to the conditions, and they need to be worth something when you get done. (Could be invertebrates too) They need certain water conditions and they need them all the time. Run out of oxygen in the water for a couple of hours and you lose everything. You also need to either be able to buy or raise what you stock. And then you need to control diseases and predators, not to mention thieves. And there's food. If you require a floating pellet with a particular nutritional makeup and you are in Haiti, that can be a big problem. The country is still quite deficient in supporting businesses for aquaculture. Then there is the big marketing thing. In order to raise fish efficiently, you grow a bunch that are ready at the same time. Taking a basket to the village market actually seldom works. So you need a way to harvest, process and preserve your production. In short it's quite difficult to get started. Sometimes a local condition that already exists can be exploited but I'm not aware of any suitable such situations in Haiti. An example of that would be crawfish culture in rice fields. The residue of the rice provides the food, and the water and fields would already be there so the rice field is flooded after harvest and crawfish are stocked. Traps are used to harvest them later. You don't get all your crawfish back, but costs are very low. That sort of thing. People often just think there is some water, have someone throw some fish in and everyone will get to eat a lot of fish, that seldom works. Marv

Question: I need any info's on fish farming and how to start from step 1 .thx? I am planing on building a reletivly small fish farm to open a small business. and i couldnt find any infos on : the recommended instructions for the pool size ,volume,..etc. plus the way feeding and breeding the fish ( cat fish) .any information well be appreciated.

Answer: University of Mississippi would be the foremost authority.

Question: How do I start a successful fish farming business? The business look very lucrative as supply side has been consistently below demand. But this is not too adequate a platform for one to jump into the business

Answer: There is an inital investment in the land to build your pond(s) on. Then you have to know how to keep your fish alive.

Question: What are the techniques and methods for fish farming? Please describe the technique and how it works. What are the advantages of this process compare to the traditional scientific approach? What are the possible dangers or disadvantages? Your personal views on this technique. What developments will take place in this field in the future?

Answer: actually fish don't make good farmers because they need to live in water. that and the absence of thumbs let alone hands makes them worthless..

Question: Is fish farming on the East Coast of Canada ecologically sustainable? Does it degrade wild populations of salmon? Are there other environmental impacts of aquaculture? Any information you have on any of these questions would be awesome. Links to more information are good too :)

Answer: It depends on what type of fish. Virtually any salmon farming is unsustainable - for starters, salmon are carnivorous. Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great website and other resources for the average consumer. It describes which fisheries they deem sustainable and unsustainable.

Question: What are the problems/disadvantages of ornamental fish farming? i am just curious(:

Answer: 1. Location - you must be in only a rather small part of the counrty to farm tropical species. 2. long, long, long hours. 3. Pay - Fish at that level are often bought by weight not per fish so the more yours weigh each the higher the pay, but that means you have to keep and feed them longer. Also, if a ponds worth of expensive fish die 2 days before you sell them, then that's just too bad. All that work for nothing. Tht's just a few ;) MM

Question: where can i get stuff for fish farming in dubai? Things such as pH meter, complete water testing kits, ovaprim, artemia... Does anyone know where to go on the net for contact info of people who sell such items?

Answer: I do a lot of business with a company called Aquatic-Ecosystems and I know they have an international division so I imagine you could purchase from them. Good luck!

Question: What are some important issues with fish farming?

Answer: Farmed fish are often fed wild fish, which may themselves be threatened. Also, fish farming in close quarters can trigger the evolution of fish diseases which can then spread to wild oceanic/river populations. In general, the density of farmed fish can be claustrophobic as with cattle or chickens, creating serious quality of life and ethics issues. Also like factory farmed land animals, there is high antibiotics usage. This is not to mention genetic engineering... But despite all this I have some good friends at Cabbage Hill Farms in New York State who do some amazing closed-loop aquaculture, growing lettuce in the same greenhouses as the fish and using only organic methods. Everything in moderation.

Question: Could we have fish farming activity on 1/4 hectares on land in Bamako, Mali? How to maximize that activity:? This fish farming is being planned in town with plans to dig and construct places for the farming.

Answer: Intensive (closed-circulation) aquaculture In this kind of systems fish production per unit of surface can be increased at will, as long as sufficient oxygen, fresh water and food are provided. Because of the requirement of sufficient fresh water, a massive water purification system must be integrated in the fish farm. A clever way to achieve this is the combination of hydroponic horticulture and water treatment, see below. The exception to this rule are cages which are placed in a river or sea, which supplements the fish crop with sufficient fresh water. Environmentalists object to this practice. The cost of inputs per unit of fish weight is higher than in extensive farming, especially because of the high cost of fish food, which must contain a much higher level of protein (up to 60%) than, e.g., cattle food and a balanced amino acid composition as well. This frequently is offset by the lower land costs and the higher productions which can be obtained due to the high level of input control. Essential here is aeration of the water, as fish need a sufficient oxygen level for growth. This is achieved by bubbling, cascade flow or liquid oxygen. Catfish, Clarias ssp. can breathe atmospherical air and can tolerate much higher levels of pollutants than, e.g., trout or salmon, which makes aeration and water purification less necessary and makes Clarias species especially suited for intensive fish production. In some Clarias farms about 10% of the water volume can consist of fish biomass. Especially when fish densities are high, the risk of infections by parasites like fish lice, fungi (Saprolegnia ssp.), intestinal worms (such as nematodes or trematodes), bacteria (e.g., Yersinia ssp, Pseudomonas ssp.), and protozoa (such as Dinoflagellates) is much higher than in animal husbandry because of the ease in which pathogens can invade the fish body (e.g. by the gills). The same holds for water pollution or depletion of oxygen in the water, which can ruin a fish crop within minutes. This means, intensive aquaculture requires tight monitoring and a high level of expertise of the fish farmer. The main systems of fish farming are treated below. [edit] Integrated recycling systems One of the largest problems with freshwater aquaculture is that it can use a million gallons of water per acre (about 1 m³ of water per m²) each year. Extended water purification systems allow for the reuse (recycling) of local water. The largest-scale pure fish farms use a system derived (admittedly much refined) from the New Alchemists in the 1970s. Basically, large plastic fish tanks are placed in a greenhouse. A hydroponic bed is placed near, above or between them. When tilapia are raised in the tanks, they are able to eat algae, which naturally grows in the tanks when the tanks are properly fertilized. The tank water is slowly circulated to the hydroponic beds where the tilapia waste feeds a commercial crop such as parsley. Carefully cultured microorganisms in the hydroponic bed convert ammonia to nitrates, and the plants are fertilized by the nitrates and phosphates. Other wastes are strained out by the hydroponic media, which doubles as an aerated pebble-bed filter. This system, properly tuned, produces more edible protein per unit area than any other. A wide variety of plants can grow well in the hydroponic beds. Most growers concentrate on herbs, which command premium prices in small quantities all year long. The most common customers are restaurant wholesalers. Since the system lives in a greenhouse, it adapts to almost all temperate climates, and may also adapt to tropical climates. The main environmental impact is discharge of water that must be salted to maintain the fishes' electrolyte balance. Current growers use a variety of proprietary tricks to keep fish healthy, reducing their expenses for salt and waste water discharge permits. Some veterinary authorities speculate that ultraviolet ozone disinfectant systems (widely used for ornamental fish) may play a prominent part in keeping the Tilapia healthy with recirculated water. A number of large, well-capitalized ventures in this area have failed. Managing both the biology and markets is complicated. Reference: Freshwater Aquaculture: A Handbook for Small Scale Fish Culture in North America, by William McLarney [edit] Irrigation ditch or pond systems These use irrigation ditches or farm ponds to raise fish. The basic requirement is to have a ditch or pond that retains water, possibly with an above-ground irrigation system (many irrigation systems use buried pipes with headers). This is a low-investment way to produce fish from an existing structure. Often the fish sell for premium prices since they are fresh, and produced inland. If the ponds raise sport species, they can be advertised as "fishing ponds," and access can be sold directly to fishermen. Using this method, one can store one's water allotment in ponds or ditches, usually lined with bentonite clay. In small systems the fish are often fed commercial fish food, and their waste products can help fertilize the fields. In larger ponds, the pond grows water plants and algae as fish food. Some of the most successful ponds grow introduced strains of plants, as well as introduced strains of fish. Control of water quality is crucial. Fertilizing, clarifying and pH control of the water can increase yields substantially, as long as eutrophication is prevented and oxygen levels stay high. Salting the water is not recommended because it can salinize the fields. Yields can be low if the fish grow ill from electrolyte stress. [edit] Cage system These use synthetic fiber cages in existing water resources. The advantage is that many types of water can be used (rivers, lakes, filled quarries, etc.), many types of fish can be raised, and the fish farming can co-exist with sport fishing and other forms of use. However, fish are vulnerable to disease, poaching, and low levels of dissolved oxygen. In general, pond systems are easier to manage, and simpler to start. In regards to genetic modification of fish, cage systems can be detrimental to the environment because the genetically modified fish can easily escape into the wild destroying other breeds of fish and upsetting the balance of nature. This is due to the advantage of the GM fish over the wild species. These GM fish have been bred specifically to make them better.

Question: I want every infomation about shrimps and fish farming? For one to be a successful farmer in fish, shrimps and other related sea foods; what are the requirements.

Answer: Google "Aqua-culture" there should be bunches of sources of information there.------PeeTee__ Oh yeah,also check with your State Department of Agriculture,they probably have free info also.

Question: what is the environmental argument against fish farming? I don't just want your opinion, I need facts too. I don't want people to just say: coz its cruel. I need a bit more of an elaboration. Thank you so much for every answer that people give. (:

Answer: Too many fish in too small of an area pollutes the water with fish waste which can damage the fragile underwater ecosystem.

Question: Fish farming , Is it profitable if you own the land ?

Answer: nope