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AC003 Careers in Aquaculture

Aquaculture Library

Interested in a job in aquaculture?

• There are many options:• Direct employment in aquaculture• Landscape contractor or tank builder• Teaching or science• Food processing and marketing

• Let’s find out more about what aquaculture is and some related jobs.

Aquaculture defined:

• The controlled cultivation of aquatic plants and animals produced for several purposes including food, stocking, bait, ornamental and industrial uses.

• Aquaculture is a form of agriculture.• An aquaculture manager wants to make

the most profit possible for the least cost and labor.

How does aquaculture compare to traditional agriculture?

• Aquaculture research is in the beginning stages.

• Three obstacles to development1. Lack of information on aquaculture2. Need for training in aquatic husbandry3. Lack of suitable markets

• More research is needed in genetics, breeding, feeding and production.

The main forms of aquaculture in the U.S.:

• Growing fish for food:• Technical support and available markets limit

which species are grown/• Most common species: catfish, trout, salmon,

carp, crayfish, freshwater shrimp, striped bass and their hybrids, and tilapia

• Growing fish for stocking: often sold to farms where people pay to fish

The main forms of aquaculture in the U.S. (continued):

• Bait industry – primarily minnows and crayfish• Ornamental fish and aquatic plants

• Usually grown in Florida orother warm states orindoors in controlledtemperatures

• Includes “feeders” likegoldfish fed to aquariumfish

The main forms of aquaculture in the U.S. (continued):

• Fee-fishing ponds• Owner charges a fee for fish caught• May have additional facilities like snack bar,

bait shop, boat rentals• Cold water usually trout• Warm water often catfish,

bullheads or sunfish

The main forms of aquaculture in the U.S. (continued):

• Specialty growers• Products for biological supply houses• Algae, turtles, etc., needed for research

Producers often focus on one phase of fish production:

1. Securing and spawningof brood stock

2. Hatching of eggs

3. Growing fry to producefingerlings – fry areyoung fish fromhatching to 1 inch

4. Stocking and growout of fingerlings to market size – fingerlings are fish from 1 inch to 1 year

Photo courtesy The Catfish Institute.

How does a producer decide where to focus?

• Size of the operation

• Expertise

• Amount of capital available to purchase special equipment

• Personal preference

Growing aquatic crops can be extensive or intensive…

Extensive example:• Outdoor natural pond

for catfish• Few or no inputs• Low production level

Intensive example:• Closed recirculating

system to grown tilapia indoors

• Increasing inputs• Increased yield

What are “inputs”?

• Labor

• Feed

• Materials

• Equipment

USDA photo by Ken Hammond.

Can one person “do it all”?

• One person might do it all in a small, extensive operation.

• But a large operation requires many people:• Managers• Accountants,• Buyers• Scientists• Researchers

• Truck drivers• Technicians• Processors• Unskilled laborers

Supporting industries for new aquaculture facilities …

• Consultant to plan production sites and give management advice

• Environmental impact studies• Water quality assessment• Legal advice• Designer to draw plans• Contractor to prepare site and build facility• Banker to provide financing

Supporting industries for continuing facilities …

• Water quality monitoring

• Feed supplier

• Equipment maintenance

• Veterinary service to monitor growth, disease, parasites, pesticides, predators

• Research on genetics, feed, breeding, disease, nutrition, water control, etc.

Support people for products ready to market …

• These people could be employees, managers, scientists or others

• Selling fish live, fresh, frozen, smokedor dried

• Marketing including consumer research, setting prices, international markets

• Transportation either live or refrigerated

Still more support people:

• Legislators and regulators who certify, inspect, set policy, issue permits, review environmental impact, etc.

• Newsletters, magazines, publications• High school, tech school and university

teachers• State extension agents and regional

government specialists with materials and workshops

What training is required?

• Entry-level jobs right out of high school –fish feed sales, transportation, purchasing, pond operations, fish cleaning or feed mill operations

• Some jobs require extensivetraining – hatchery technician,equipment engineer, aquaticveterinarian, productionmanager, fish nutritionistand researcher

This presentation was produced and is copyrighted by Stewart- Peterson®, Inc. 2003-2005. Permission is granted for use by active AgEdNet.com® subscribers. All other use is prohibited.

STEWART-PETERSON and AGEDNET.COM are registered trademarks of Stewart-Peterson, Inc.

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