How to Start a Fish Farming Business

Fish farming or pisciculture is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under agriculture. Fish farming involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. A facility that releases juvenile fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species' natural numbers is generally referred to as a fish hatchery. Worldwide, the most important fish species used in fish farming are carp, salmon, tilapia and catfish. There is an increasing demand for fish and fish protein, which has resulted in widespread over fishing in wild fisheries, China holding 62 percent of the world's fish farming practice. Fish farming offers fish marketers another source. However, farming carnivorous fish, such as salmon, does not always reduce pressure on wild fisheries, since carnivorous farmed fish are usually fed fishmeal and fish oil extracted from wild forage fish. The global returns for fish farming recorded by the FAO in 2008 totaled 33.8 million tonnes worth about $US 60 billion. In 2005, aquaculture represented 40% of the 157.5 million tons of seafood that was produced, meaning that it has become a critical part of our world's food source even though the industry is still technically in its 'infancy' and didn't really become well known until the 1970s. Because of this rise in aquaculture, there has been a rise in the per capital availability of seafood globally within the last few decades.

Have you always dreamed of owning your very own fish farming business? Do you feel that the place that you have would be a great fish farm?

If you want to start your own fish farming business then here is a guide to help you make your dreams come true. Starting a fish farming business requires a lot of knowledge, skill and planning as the investor would have to look into a lot of variables to make the business possible. Though starting a fish farming business would require intensive study of both the actual technique in fish production as well as the expenses one has to invest for equipment, the fish farming business can prove to be a very profitable venture.

Specific types of fish farms

Within intensive and extensive aquaculture methods, there are numerous specific types of fish farms; each has benefits and applications unique to its design.

Cage system

Fish cages are placed in lakes, bayous, ponds, rivers or oceans to contain and protect fish until they can be harvested. The method is also called "off-shore cultivation" when the cages are placed in the sea. They can be constructed of a wide variety of components. Fish are stocked in cages, artificially fed, and harvested when they reach market size. A few advantages of fish farming with cages are that many types of waters can be used (rivers, lakes, filled quarries, etc.), many types of fish can be raised, and fish farming can co-exist with sport fishing and other water uses. Cage farming of fishes in open seas is also gaining popularity. Concerns of disease, poaching, poor water quality, etc., lead some to believe that in general, pond systems are easier to manage and simpler to start. Also, past occurrences of cage-failures leading to escapes, have raised concern regarding the culture of non-native fish species in dam or open-water cages. Even though the cage-industry has made numerous technological advances in cage construction in recent years, storms will always make the concern for escapes valid.

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.) 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.

Composite fish culture

The Composite fish culture system is a technology developed in India by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in the 1970s. In this system both local and imported fish species, a combination of five or six fish species is used in a single fish pond. These species are selected so that they do not compete for food among them having different types of food habitats. As a result the food available in all the parts of the pond is used. Fish used in this system include catla and silver carp which are surface feeders, rohu a column feeder and mrigal and common carp which are bottom feeders. Other fish will also feed on the excreta of the common carp and this helps contribute to the efficiency of the system which in optimal conditions will produce 3000–6000 kg of fish per hectare per year.

Integrated recycling systems

One of the largest problems with freshwater pisciculture 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 Alchemy Institute 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 commercial plant crops. 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 (e.g. parsley and basil), which command premium prices in small quantities all year long. The most common customers are restaurant wholesalers.

Classic fry farming

This is also called a "Flow through system" Trout and other sport fish are often raised from eggs to fry or fingerlings and then trucked to streams and released. Normally, the fry are raised in long, shallow concrete tanks, fed with fresh stream water. The fry receive commercial fish food in pellets. While not as efficient as the New Alchemists' method, it is also far simpler, and has been used for many years to stock streams with sport fish. European eel (Anguilla Anguilla) agriculturalists procure a limited supply of glass eels, juvenile stages of the European eel which swim north from the Sargasso Sea breeding grounds, for their farms. The European eel is threatened with extinction because of the excessive catch of glass eels by Spanish fishermen and over-fishing of adult eels in, e.g., the Dutch Ijsselmeer, Netherlands. As per 2005, no one has managed to breed the European eel in captivity.

Indoor fish farming

An alternative to outdoor open ocean cage aquaculture, is through the use of a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS). A RAS is a series of culture tanks and filters where water is continuously recycled and monitored to keep optimal conditions year round. To prevent the deterioration of water quality, the water is treated mechanically through the removal of particulate matter and biologically through the conversion of harmful accumulated chemicals into nontoxic ones.

Other treatments such as UV sterilization, ozonation, and oxygen injection are also used to maintain optimal water quality. Through this system, many of the environmental drawbacks of aquaculture are minimized including escaped fish, water usage, and the introduction of pollutants. The practices also increased feed-use efficiency growth by providing optimum water quality.

Studying to start a fish farming business

The very first thing that any prospective fish farming business owner has to do is to soak up on as much knowledge in fish culture as possible. It is highly advisable that he take some college courses or some programs that are related to fish farming. If the fish farming business owner has no experience it is good that he first try and work for an established fish farming expert to know the ins and outs in fish farming. If he has the knowledge he then has to conduct the research.

Do the research in the fish farming business

The would-be owner needs to study the conditions that surround his proposed location of the fish farm. He must take into account the source of water in the area and how much is flowing from it, what rate and the temperature of the water. He should also look into other naturally available resources around the area such as geothermal water from springs. Some fishes breed faster better in warm water than others. Also look into the conduciveness of the buildings and structures around the farm. After looking into the conditions of the environment the entrepreneur also has to look into the possible market of the fish. It is not profitable to harvest tons of fishes with no buyer. Could there be a contractor for the fishes? How about fast food chains? How far is the market for the fish and what vehicle will be used to transport the fish? After finding out the possible market conditions the owner must look into organizing the business. The owner must register it as either sole-proprietorship, partnership, corporation or LLC. He must also attend to the commercial license, operating permit and other requirements that may be required by the state.

If after this survey the fish farming business still seems possible then it is time to chart the financial aspect by determining the expected and unexpected expenses of the business. How much would everything cost and what would be the sources of the funds. Through this financial analysis the entrepreneur will know in the long run how much he needs to profit for how long to pay back the overhead cost and if it is profitable to start the fish farming business.

If you are a fishing enthusiast, one way that you could potentially turn this passion into an income is to start a commercial fish pond. With a commercial fish pond, you can grow fish and then sell them for a profit. This business can be lucrative if done correctly,

Fish Farming Business Instruction:

Step 1

Create a business plan for your fish pond. You could potentially make money in a few different ways from this type of business venture. For example, you could sell the fish to customers or you could allow customers to pay to fish on the premises. In your business plan, include financial projections for the business.

Step 2

Set up the legal aspects of your commercial fish pond. For example, you may wish to set up a legal entity, such as a limited liability company for your fish pond. You will also need to register your business name with the county clerk if you plan on doing business under an assumed name. In most cases, you will also need to buy a business license.

Step 3

Acquire a site to develop the fish pond. Buy some agricultural land outside the city limits or is zoned appropriately within the city limits. Have the land excavated and a pond built. Getting the pond to hold water can be difficult and you may need to hire a professional to do the work for you.

Step 4

Purchase the equipment that you will need for the fish pond. This may include devices that can measure the quality and temperature of the water. You will also need equipment to feed the fish on a regular basis. If you plan to sell the fish, you will also need a way to capture the fish for customers.

Step 5

Buy fish to stock your pond. You can order them from another commercial fish farm. Then place the fish in the pond and begin feeding them.

Step 6

Promote your business. When it comes to promoting a fish farm, advertising to a mass market may not be effective. Instead, advertise in specialty magazines and fishing stores to attract customers.

Warning

Before getting involved with this business, do a thorough market analysis. You want to have enough customers to keep you in business.

References

• Fish Farming
• Virginia Cooperative Extension; "Should You Attempt Fish Farming? Considerations for Prospective Fish Growers"; Louis A. Helfrich; May 2009
• NorthernAquaFarms: Thinking of Starting an Aqua Farming Business?
• Kentucky State University Aquaculture; "Catfish Farming in Kentucky"; Robert Durborow; 2000
• Nolo: Start Your Own Business: 50 Things You'll Need to Do
• How to Start a Fish Farming Business
• How to Start a Fish Farming Business