fish farming

Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/08/how-michigans-inland-fish-farmers-cultivate-a-sustainable-future-for-the-great-lakes/

Donte Smith

A fish farm field trip for Wisconsin decision-makers highlights challenges and future of aquaculture

On: August 29, 2024

In: aquaculture, Dave Northey, decision-makers, Doug Sackett, Emma Hauser, fish farming, Peter Fritsch, Peter Shep, rainbow trout, Sharon Moen, yellow perch

fish farmer Peter Shep stands in front of an old milking parlor building discussing aquaculture

Peter Shep discusses fish farming in front of the milking parlor that houses his aquaculture operation. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

When a small group of Wisconsin lawmakers and their staff peered into a milking parlor in Stoughton, Wisconsin, in late July, they learned that that not all dairy barns have cows. Some have fish.

The visit to Mulberry Aquaponics and Hatchery was the first stop on a tour of four fish farms in southern Wisconsin that also included Northey Farms in Deerfield, Rushing Waters Fisheries in Palmyra and Crystal Clear Fish Farm in Beaver Dam. Hosted by Wisconsin Sea Grant and industry partners, the tour brought together decision-makers to learn more about aquaculture and the challenges fish farmers face. State Senator Mark Spreitzer and staff from the offices of state Reps. Rozar, Moses and Shankland were all in attendance as were Lauren Kisley, the new veterinary program manager from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Ben Gollon, president of the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association and president/CEO at Gollon Brothers Wholesale Live Bait Inc.

Sharon Moen, Wisconsin Sea Grant food-fish outreach coordinator, organized the tour with fish farmers and funding from the National Sea Grant office.

“This tour was a direct response to a needs assessment Wisconsin Sea Grant conducted with fish farmers,” said Moen. “The farmers prioritized developing better lines of communication with decision-makers so we designed an opportunity where that could happen. We loaded fish farmers, decision-makers and Sea Grant facilitators aboard two minivans and drove 150 miles with stops at four fish farms and one Kwik Trip, having meaningful conversations along the way.”

Stop one: Growing perch in a barn

Inside the milking parlor at Mulberry Aquaponics and Hatchery, fish farmer Peter Shep explained how he raises yellow perch from egg to fingerling using a recirculating aquaculture system, which filters and recycles up to 90% of the water. This specialized equipment can be costly, but Shep used inexpensive materials like stock tanks, PVC pipes and solar-powered pumps to craft an affordable but effective system.

Peter Shep dips a net into a blue tank that holds yellow perch.

Shep dips a net into one of the tanks where he raises yellow perch. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

His graduate education helped. Shep started the business after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, where he worked with Professor Dong-Fang Deng, who specializes in yellow perch production.

Raising fish in a gleaming, high-tech university lab, however, is not the same as raising fish in a renovated dairy barn. Despite using similar methods, Shep’s tanks produced fewer yellow perch per gallon than those at the university. The difference underlined the need for more research to be done on actual fish farms, where conditions are different than those in the lab. Wanting to solve some of the research-to-application challenges, he is returning to school in fall to pursue a doctorate degree in the Deng lab.

Shep also cited the technical challenges of raising perch, which are prone to dying within the first 30 days. In addition to being “finnicky,” perch are learning to eat and don’t always direct their hunger at the right thing. “They love to eat each other,” he said, showing photographic evidence to a rapt tour group.

If the perch survive, fingerlings are sold to “grow-out” farms that raise fish to the desired size for stocking in lakes or ponds. And demand is high. One buyer was interested in purchasing up to 250,000 fingerlings, which is more than double Mulberry Aquaponics’ goal for 2024.

Stop two: Where experience and innovation meet

Fish farmer Dave Northey talks with the group of decision-makers

Dave Northey discusses trying out recirculating aquaculture with the tour group. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

The next stop was Northey Farms in Deerfield, where owner Dave Northey has raised yellow perch for nearly 30 years. Walking into an outbuilding, the tour group peeked into tanks that looked a lot like Shep’s.

Northey used to rear 300,000 to 900,000 fish exclusively in outdoor ponds, but several bad years and a serendipitous meeting with Shep encouraged him to try a recirculating aquaculture system. Compared to the pond system, Northey said RAS uses less water and offers the opportunity for multiple crops per year.

While production hasn’t bounced back to previous levels, Northey continues to work with Shep and Doug Sackett of Crystal Clear Fish Farm to optimize their systems and try new things. In this informal “co-op,” the trio share information as colleagues rather than competitors.

Stop three: Raising rainbow trout for the dinner plate

Peter Fritsch of Rushing Waters took the group on a tour of the outdoor ponds where he raises rainbow trout. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Heading east, the tour’s lunchtime stop was at the state’s largest commercial rainbow trout farm, Rushing Waters Fisheries in Palmyra. The 80-acre farm produces around 225,000 pounds of fish per year in outdoor ponds and features a seafood processing facility that makes fish products sold on-site and in stores. Fish are raised from egg to harvest right on the farm.

Owner Peter Fritsch explained that the ponds where he raises rainbow trout are spring-fed and hover around 50 degrees year-round. The consistently cold temperature is what makes trout farming possible, as trout need cold water to survive.

Being spring-fed, the waters were also clear and the fish easy to spot — not just for humans, but also birds. Fritsch said great blue herons and eagles like the easy pickings of ponds filled with fish and often hang around the farm. In the past, he used netting to deter predators and now uses laser technology to scare birds away.

Over a lunch of salmon burgers (a product processed and sold by Rushing Waters), Fritsch discussed further challenges fish farmers face, such as securing permits and the differences between federal and state regulations of fish farms. Another one is the high cost of starting and sustaining a farm.

“How do you make a little money in aquaculture? Start with a lot,” joked Fritsch. He encouraged the decision-makers to think about ways they can support fish farmers and those new to the industry.

Stop four: Making fish big

Fish farmer doug Sackett nets several perch from him pond as the tour group watches

Doug Sackett of Crystal Clear Farms (right) nets yellow perch for a photo op with Sen. Spreitzer. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

With fish on the mind and in the belly, the tour headed toward the fourth and final stop with Doug Sackett, owner of Crystal Clear Fish Farm in Beaver Dam.

Sackett runs a “grow-out” farm, where — like the name suggests — he grows out fingerling yellow perch in eight outdoor ponds to be stocked in lakes across the state. He purchases his fingerlings from both Shep and Northey and is part of their informal co-op.

Sackett’s goal is to keep the fish healthy and make them big, usually between 5 and 7 inches. He feeds fish twice a day, propelling pellets into the pond with a leaf blower, and works to maintain the appropriate temperature and dissolved oxygen levels. In fall, once the fish are big enough, he uses seine nets to corral and remove them from the ponds. The fish are then transported via truck to lakes and ponds. Most of Sackett’s clients are lake associations looking to boost numbers of yellow perch in their lake.

Sen. Spreitzer posed with one of Sackett’s perch but wasn’t spared the splash as the fish flopped back to the water.

Back on the bus, the wheels continue to turn on the future of Wisconsin aquaculture

As tour attendees boarded the vans to return to Madison, Sackett chatted with Ben Gollon, president of the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, and Wisconsin Sea Grant aquaculture outreach specialist, Emma Hauser, about strategies for increasing oxygen in the ponds while keeping them cool during the hot summer months. The discussion was yet another example of how this excursion brought farmers, researchers and extension folks together in sharing knowledge and making connections.

The tour also invited lawmakers and legislative staff into the aquaculture conversation, many of whom asked questions of fish farmers on the car rides between stops. One asked whether fish, like other crops, could be insured; another asked about how to start an aquaponics system, which uses nutrients from fish waste to grow greens, at home. Others wanted to know more about how regulation works within the industry.

Knowledge sharing, however, wasn’t a one-way street: Fish farmers also had a chance to ask questions of decision-makers. They asked how and when to best connect with and educate lawmakers about the industry and discussed how bills become laws. Some were curious about what it was like to manage a campaign or run for office.

After the tour, Gollon asked, “This was such a great tour and discussion. Let’s do it again. Where are we going to go next?”

Moen said she was pleased by the depth of the questions and conversations during the tour and pointed toward more opportunities for connecting in the future. She said, “I think we can call this a resounding success as the fish farmers are talking about ‘next time’ and the legislative participants suggested that Wisconsin Sea Grant and fish farmers cooperate to hold a briefing at the state capitol. And — spoiler alert — we recently received word that our proposal to organize this type of opportunity in 2025 received funding.”

This project was made possible by a grant from the National Sea Grant Office (NOAA-OAR-SG-2023-2007550) to the Ohio (lead), Wisconsin and Minnesota Sea Grant programs.

The tour group stands in front of an outdoor pond

Fish farmers, decision-makers and Sea Grant staff pose for a photo in front of Crystal Clear Fish Farm’s yellow perch ponds. Photo: Wisconsin Sea Grant

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Jenna Mertz

Great Lakes Aquaculture Days to focus on fish health

On: August 31, 2022

In: aquaculture, fish farming, fish health, Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative

Fall leaves are just around the corner—and so are Great Lakes Aquaculture Days. The annual event, hosted by the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative and Great Lakes Sea Grant Network, will take place Oct. 26-27.

It’s a chance for current fish farmers, as well as those interested in aquaculture and its products, to learn more about this fast-growing segment of the agriculture industry and get technical advice.

This year’s theme will be fish health, covered through discussions, Q&A sessions and hand-on activities addressing the topic.

The event has a unique hybrid structure: Day 1 is virtual, and Day 2 encompasses in-person sessions in each of the Great Lakes states. Wisconsin’s in-person activities will take place at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus and be organized by Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist Dr. Titus Seilheimer.

On Day 1, fish health experts will discuss preventative measures for keeping fish healthy. Those virtual presentations take place from noon to 3 p.m. central time.

Day 2 will focus on reactive measures to take when fish get sick. There will be time for attendees to create their own fish health management plan. “Attendees will have the chance to dissect an actual fish and take a dissection kit home with them,” Seilheimer said. “You can’t replicate a dissection with pictures, so this will be a great opportunity for farmers.” Due to limited in-person space, aquaculture farmers have registration priority for Day 2, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch will be included.

For more event information (including possible travel reimbursement) and registration, visit Michigan State University’s webpage for this event.

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Out of the lab and on the road: Meet Emma Kraco, Eat Wisconsin Fish intern

On: July 25, 2022

In: aquaculture, Commercial Fishing, Eat Wisconsin Fish, Emma Kraco, fish farming, internships, Sharon Moen, workforce development

Fish are a big part of Emma Kraco’s life. While pursuing her biology degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the recent graduate worked in fish labs in the university’s School of Freshwater Sciences. Those included both a U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory and one run by Professor Dong Fang Deng. Kraco assisted Deng with a study and subsequent publication on the effects of ingested microplastics on yellow perch fingerlings.

This summer, however, finds Kraco out of the lab and on the road as a Wisconsin Sea Grant intern in the Community Engaged Internship program. She’s part of a cohort of 10 interns working on a range of projects, each with a different mentor.

Emma Kraco talks about Wisconsin fish with attendees at Kids’ Fishing Day at the Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center in Ashland, Wisconsin. (Photo: Sharon Moen)

Kraco works alongside Eat Wisconsin Fish Outreach Specialist Sharon Moen, who looks for ways to support and enhance Wisconsin’s commercial fishing and fish farming industries, as well as engage with consumers to spark their interest in local fish. So far this summer, the two have traveled to Bayfield, Ashland, Green Bay, Milwaukee and numerous other points.

Kraco’s responsibilities include refining the interactive map on the Eat Wisconsin Fish website, which helps consumers locate local fish producers, markets and more. She’s also working on a project to tell the story of yellow perch with respect to its past, present and future as an iconic Wisconsin fish fry staple.

“Emma’s knowledge base, curiosity and enthusiasm have been such a boost for the Eat Wisconsin Fish initiative,” said Moen. “I have been so impressed with the way she has interacted with the fish producers we have met with this summer. Her questions have been thoughtful, and her follow-up has been remarkable. On top of this, I really appreciate her patience in learning Online ArcGIS skills to overcome the mapping challenges laid out for her. I have no doubt that she’ll be one to watch as Wisconsin’s aquaculture scene matures.”

We recently caught up with Kraco for a brief Q&A. Here’s what she had to say:

What has been most enlightening to you about this internship?

The people are one of the most interesting things about this internship. From the small-town dynamics of the local fisheries, to the trials and successes of the farms, I have loved hearing their stories. Each operation is as unique as the person running it. Meeting with producers and seeing where they work has given me a new appreciation for how diverse their needs are. For me, this project has highlighted the importance of extension and outreach work and the need for better science communication.

What’s it like to work with Sharon Moen, Eat Wisconsin Fish outreach specialist? She’s a force!

Sharon Moen and Emma Kraco during a stop by the UW-Madison campus in June 2022. (Photo: Jennifer Smith)

Working for Sharon has been a blast! One of the things that makes her so great to work for is her energy and passion for this project. We’ve been lucky enough to travel throughout the state meeting people in the food-fish production industry. On each of the trips, our days have been packed from morning to night with meetings with fishers and farmers.

Sharon knows how to make the most of our time on the road, but she also knows how to play as hard as she works. We’ve been able to see state parks and museums, sample local cuisine and meet many fabulous Sea Grant professionals and scientists along the way. This internship has given me a whole new appreciation for the state of Wisconsin.

Do you have a favorite fish, either to study or to eat?

I love to eat yellow perch—they are a Midwest staple, after all—but I would jump at the opportunity to work more closely with lake sturgeon. They are such a beautiful, ancient fish with a fascinating life cycle and cultural significance in the Great Lakes region.

What’s next for you after this internship?

I’ll remain in Milwaukee and work full time for the USDA-ARS (U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service) cold and coolwater fish lab located in the School of Freshwater Sciences. I’m also beginning an online master’s program in Geographic Information Systems, and I plan to continue honing my skills in outreach and aquaculture education.

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Lake Talks series to explore sustainable, land-based fish farming

On: March 7, 2022

In: Cat Frederick, Catherine Frederick, Emma Hauser, fish farming, Jesse Trushenski, Lake Talks, RAS, recirculating aquaculture, recirculating aquaculture systems, seafood, sustainable seafood

Many Wisconsinites may be surprised to learn that the state’s agricultural sector includes seafood raised on land, such as Atlantic salmon. Fish farming—also known as aquaculture—here in the U.S. is one way to reduce America’s reliance on imported seafood. Estimates, depending on how they are calculated, indicate that between 65% and 90% of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported. In addition to this trade deficit, this situation means that seafood often travels great distances to reach your plate.

A free, online panel discussion hosted by Wisconsin Sea Grant will look at one form of sustainable fish farming known as recirculating aquaculture systems. “Fish on land? The growth of land-based fish farming” will take place Thursday, March 17, from 7 to 8 p.m. (central time) as part of Sea Grant’s “Lake Talks” series.

Registration is required and is open now. The hour will include time for audience questions.

Land-based water reuse systems, like the tanks shown here, can provide an optimal, carefully controlled environment for fish to thrive. Pictured here are Atlantic salmon. (Photo: NADF)

Also called RAS, recirculating aquaculture systems use large tanks and efficient reuse of water to raise fish on land. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has made major investments in furthering RAS research and workforce development, building upon earlier support from the National Sea Grant College Program, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Attendees of the March 17 panel will learn about cutting-edge aquaculture research and outreach happening in Wisconsin. They will also gain a broader, national view of recirculating aquaculture and how it can help with America’s seafood trade deficit, provide nutritious food and reduce food’s carbon footprint.

Speakers will also address how U.S. fish farming and wild-caught fisheries can go hand in hand to supply sustainable seafood to American consumers. The evening will also touch upon the role that aquaculture plays through fish hatcheries that support recreational and commercial fishing and the recovery of imperiled species.

Panelists are:

Emma Hauser, Aquaculture Outreach Specialist/Research Associate, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility and Wisconsin Sea Grant
Dr. Catherine Frederick, Extension Associate for the Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network (RAS-N) and Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon (SAS2), University of Maryland Extension and the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
Dr. Jesse Trushenski, Chief Science Officer and Vice President for Animal Welfare, Riverence; Past President and Fellow, American Fisheries Society

For Lake Talks event and registration information, visit the Sea Grant website, or follow Wisconsin Sea Grant on Facebook or Twitter. You can register for the March 17 presentation now.

For questions about this series, contact Wisconsin Sea Grant science communicator Jennifer Smith.

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Collaborative network for recirculating aquaculture moves into next phase

On: January 20, 2022

In: aquaculture, Atlantic salmon, Chris Hartleb, fish farming, NADF, RAS-N, recirculating aquaculture, SAS2

Over the past three years, Wisconsin Sea Grant has been part of an innovative public/private network that is dedicated to building capacity for the U.S. recirculating aquaculture industry.

Known as RAS-N, the Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network involves many partners, from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) in Bayfield, to the Maine and Maryland Sea Grant programs, to private companies in the United States and Europe, including Hixton, Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh.

This Atlantic salmon has been raised in water reuse systems at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility in Bayfield. (Photo: NADF)

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are a water-efficient way of raising fish on land in a contained system; other positive attributes of this farming method include enhanced biosecurity and the ability to reduce the carbon footprint of food fish by building facilities close to markets.

The National Sea Grant Office announced funding for RAS-N in 2019. While that three-year grant is now winding down, the collaborative network it helped build is not going away. Rather, it is entering an exciting new phase with $10 million in funding from a U.S. Department Agriculture (USDA) program designed to enhance sustainability in agriculture.

Land-based water reuse systems, like the tanks shown here, can provide an optimal, carefully controlled environment for Atlantic salmon to thrive. (Photo: NADF)

The USDA support was awarded to the University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute in collaboration with the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Wisconsin Sea Grant and NADF remain closely involved in this new phase of the work, dubbed SAS² (for Sustainable Aquaculture Systems Supporting Atlantic Salmon).

Specifically, NADF will investigate out-of-season spawning of Atlantic salmon to develop procedures that can be used by industry to produce eggs year-round.

Additionally, NADF staff, working with other aquaculture educators, will contribute their expertise in merging sustainable RAS science, community engagement and workforce development for the RAS industry.

This large vision encompasses a multitude of objectives involving technology transfer, incorporating RAS education at the high school and college levels and expanding NADF’s current internship program. SAS² will also work to increase public awareness of this growing industry.

Said Dr. Chris Hartleb, NADF director and a professor of fisheries biology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, “Through our facility, Wisconsin has been a key collaborator on the RAS-N project with expertise in RAS and salmon culture. As a further expansion of that project, SAS² continues Wisconsin’s pivotal role in the development and growth of Midwest recirculating aquaculture of the valuable and tasty Atlantic salmon.”

Tours of the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility educate the public about sustainable aquaculture. (Photo: NADF)

Indeed, Atlantic salmon remains one of the most popular choices for American seafood consumers, yet 96% of the salmon consumed here is imported, reflecting a dramatic trade deficit. By addressing bottlenecks and barriers affecting the growing salmon RAS industry, RAS-N and now SAS² are working to make the industry both economically feasible and environmentally sustainable.

To learn more about the RAS-N and SAS² networks, visit ras-n.org.

You can also read more about this work on the websites of the NADF, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Maine.

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Wisconsin Sea Grant awarded $334,000 to support state’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industries

On: September 20, 2021

In: apprenticeships, aquaculture, Commercial Fishing, COVID-19, Eat Wisconsin Fish, fish farming, pandemic, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Red Cliff Fish Co., seafood, Sharon Moen, Titus Seilheimer, tribal fishing, workforce development

Three grants totaling more than $334,000 were awarded to Wisconsin Sea Grant to support the state’s commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, particularly in the areas of career development and resilience planning.

Sharon Moen, Eat Wisconsin Fish outreach specialist. (Photo: Marie Zhuikov)

Recently, NOAA Sea Grant announced federal funding to aid the sustainable growth of the U.S. seafood industry. One of the efforts focuses on the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on seafood resources. Wisconsin Sea Grant has been awarded $186,000 in funding through that competition, meant to increase the resilience of the seafood sector to respond to future disruptions. The project has a two-year time span and was one of 13 awarded nationally by NOAA Sea Grant. Sharon Moen, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Eat Wisconsin Fish outreach specialist, is the project lead.

A second recently announced grant of $98,000 was awarded through NOAA Sea Grant and NOAA Office of Sustainable Fisheries (more specifically, through the “Food from the Sea” Careers Program).

The work funded by this grant enables the Michigan and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs to collaborate on building the framework for a Great Lakes commercial fisheries apprenticeship program over the next six months. Project leads for this effort are Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Sea Grant fisheries specialist, and Lauren Jescovitch, a Michigan Sea Grant extension educator in the Upper Peninsula. Moen will also be a key player. Together, the team will assess apprenticeship program needs among both tribal and nontribal fishers. The implementation phase of the apprenticeship program will be funded by the two-year grant.

Titus Seilheimer, fisheries outreach specialist.

A third grant of $50,000 enables the Eat Wisconsin Fish initiative to continue to grow its outreach potential over the next year. Moen leads this project.

“It is exciting that NOAA Sea Grant selected these three Wisconsin proposals for funding,” said Moen. “Food fish—both wild-caught and farm-raised in the U.S.—is an important part of our economy and food security. This funding will enable us to build on our efforts to help commercial fishers and fish farmers thrive in a challenging environment.”

The commercial fishing side of the projects focuses on developing the Great Lakes region’s first-ever apprenticeship program in fishing and fish processing. “Commercial fisheries across the country are graying as the older generation gets older, but who will take the wheel to keep these fisheries going?” said Seilheimer.

Continued Seilheimer, “Our work will build the framework for an apprenticeship program to train the next generation of commercial fishers. We will learn from tribal and state fishers about the needs and wants for a new training program. We hope to build an apprenticeship program that will provide an experienced workforce for tribal and commercial fisheries for years to come to support sustainable Great Lakes fisheries.”

Clarence Pratt of the Red Cliff Fish Co. shows a vacuum-sealed package of lake trout from Lake Superior that has just been processed. (Photo: Bonnie Willison)

While the pandemic has been tough all-around, noted Moen, “It has had a disproportionate impact on Indigenous commercial fishers.” One partner in this project is the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, which operates the Red Cliff Fish Co. The fish market prioritizes local retail sales and supplying Lake Superior fish to Native American elders.

While other states have apprenticeship programs focused on commercial fishing and fish processing, Moen said this one will focus on needs specific to the Great Lakes.

The aquaculture side of the projects will include efforts to inform fish consumers and the general public about fish-farming methods.

“Aquaculture in the U.S. has come a long way in the last several decades, and public perceptions have not kept up with reality,” said Moen. “Regulations in the U.S. as a whole are quite strict, and even more so here in Wisconsin, which should give consumers confidence that they’re choosing a safe product that has been raised responsibly. It pays to check labels or ask at the fish counter when you’re shopping.”

Moen and Seilheimer will carry out the funded activities along with members of Sea Grant’s science communication and education teams.

At their core, the three grant-funded projects are responding to challenges faced by Wisconsin fish farms and commercial fishers, from pandemics to workforce issues. “In the end,” said Moen, “We want to create a stronger food network and food systems so that when future disruptions happen, we’ll be better prepared.”

Those interested in learning more about these projects may contact Sharon Moen or Titus Seilheimer.

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Aquaculture Days virtual event connects public with fish farmers and local fish

On: August 18, 2021

In: aquaculture, Branch River Trout Hatchery, fish farming, GLAC, Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, sustainable seafood

If you’re interested in sustainable farming practices and how fish gets to your plate, an upcoming virtual event is for you. The second annual Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Days will take place Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. This year, the event is moving from a single day to three days of fun-filled aquaculture learning opportunities!

The interactive event will showcase the region’s fish and seafood production through virtual farm tours, live interviews with farmers and Q&A sessions.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Farm tours begin at 2 and 3 p.m. central time each day (3 and 4 p.m. Eastern). Tours last approximately 15 minutes, followed by live interviews and Q&A with the featured farmers.

The event will showcase farms across the Great Lakes region that have been successful in creating viable businesses, producing high quality products and limiting their environmental impacts. Farm tours will highlight different aquaculture methods. Each farm is privately owned and operates in a unique way, producing a variety of different species. Attendees will learn about the diversity of aquaculture operations in the Great Lakes region.

The farm tour lineup is as follows:

Aug. 31, 2 p.m.: Branch River Trout Hatchery, Wisconsin – raceways in combination with a winery
Aug. 31, 3 p.m.: Cedar Brook Trout Farm, Michigan – trout raceways
Sept. 1, 2 p.m.: Hickling’s Fish Farm, New York – bass and trout raceways and ponds
Sept. 1, 3 p.m.: Ozark Fisheries, Indiana/Missouri – pond and flowthrough
Sept. 2, 2 p.m.: Ripple Rock Fish Farms, Ohio – recirculating aquaculture system
Sept. 2, 3 p.m.: Lincoln Bait LLC, Minnesota – bait farm

The event is hosted by the Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, which is a project of Sea Grant programs across the Great Lakes region working to share resources and promote best practices throughout the aquaculture industry. Wisconsin Sea Grant is a member of this effort; for more Wisconsin-related information about Aquaculture Days, contact Titus Seilheimer, fisheries outreach specialist.

Attendees will have opportunities to interact with other participants through the question-and-answer sessions at the end of each farm tour. These sessions also offer a chance to pick the brains of experienced aquaculture operators across the region.

Globally, aquaculture is the fastest growing sector of agriculture. It now accounts for more than 50% of the world’s seafood production, surpassing production from wild-caught fisheries. However, in the United States, the growth of aquaculture has been stagnant, and seafood supply from U.S.-based, wild-caught fisheries is not enough to meet the national demand. One result is a $14 billion seafood trade deficit.

The U.S. aquaculture industry has the potential for growth, especially in the Great Lakes region, where abundant inland freshwater resources have enabled a handful of aquaculture operations that employ a local workforce and produce sustainable, healthy and tasty fish.

In Wisconsin, consumers can learn more about fish that is both farmed and wild-caught in the state by visiting EatWisconsinFish.org, a project of Wisconsin Sea Grant. The site includes recipes, information about producers, health facts and more.

For more information about Great Lakes Aquaculture Days 2021 or to register, visit greatlakesseagrant.com/aquaculture or contact Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator Elliot Nelson, elliotne@msu.edu. For information about the Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, contact Minnesota Sea Grant Extension Educator Amy Schrank, aschrank@umn.edu.

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New aquaculture paper produced; will be first in a series

On: July 6, 2021

In: aquaculture, aquaponics, fish farming, Fred Binkowski, Ryan Newton, technical briefs

If you’re interested in aquaculture, Wisconsin Sea Grant has released a new publication for you.

Dr. Ryan Newton (Photo: UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences)

Written by Ryan Newton, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences (SFS), this 20-page paper describes the importance of microorganisms in freshwater aquaponics. It’s the first in a series of aquaculture technical briefs produced by Fred Binkowski, senior scientist at SFS and aquaculture outreach specialist at Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Titled “Microorganisms in Intensive Aquaponics,” the paper starts with an explanation of exactly what microorganisms are and then covers the diversity of roles they play in aquaponics systems. Although they may not be the first part of an aquaponics system that comes to mind, microbes are crucial to the healthy functioning of the system. The paper includes suggestions for biosecurity and suggestions about pre- and probiotics. A table of common freshwater fish pathogens is also included.

Binkowski said, “This is a great resource for fish farmers because it provides a clear picture and understanding of the function of the invisible workers — the bacteria – that form one of the most important components of a healthy and productive aquaponics system.”

The paper is available for free download at Wisconsin Sea Grant’s online publications store at publications.aqua.wisc.edu.

The post New aquaculture paper produced; will be first in a series first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-aquaculture-paper-produced-will-be-first-in-a-series/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-aquaculture-paper-produced-will-be-first-in-a-series

Great Lakes Aquaculture Day to highlight regional fish farmers, chefs and extension specialists

On: September 18, 2020

In: aquaculture, Emma Wiermaa, fish farming, GLAC, Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, Titus Seilheimer

All welcome at this free, virtual event

The first Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Day will be held Saturday, October 10. The online event will showcase the region’s potential for fish and seafood production and include a culinary competition.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Activities begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. central time with the cooking challenge, in which culinary students will test their creativity and flair.

The day will feature a variety of panel discussions and presentations on aquaculture. Those presentations will be targeted at a variety of audiences, from beginning and current farmers to consumers interested in learning more about preparing and cooking seafood.

The event is hosted by the Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, a project of Sea Grant programs across the region—including Wisconsin Sea Grant—that are working to share resources and promote best practices in the aquaculture industry.

Emma Wiermaa of Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) will be one of the presenters at Great Lakes Aquaculture Day. She is pictured with NADF Assistant Director and Research Program Manager Greg Fischer. (Photo: Narayan Mahon)

Wisconsin Sea Grant outreach specialists Emma Wiermaa—who holds a joint position with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility in Bayfield, where she is based—and Titus Seilheimer, a fisheries specialist, will participate in the event.

The day will conclude with a cooking demonstration featuring Chef Jeff Igel of the Wisconsin Technical College System, followed by a competition between three culinary students from the Great Lakes region. Each student will be required to use a key ingredient and local aquaculture products in his or her dish.

The Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative is currently accepting applications from post-secondary students for the competition. The three students selected will each receive a $250 stipend to cover ingredients costs and time.

All Great Lakes Aquaculture Day attendees will be able to interact with other participants throughout the event and during breakout lunch gatherings.

As the fastest-growing sector of agriculture worldwide, aquaculture now accounts for more than 50% of world seafood production, surpassing that from wild-caught fisheries. However, aquaculture growth in the U.S. has been stagnant, and seafood supply from U.S.-based, wild-caught fisheries is not enough to meet nationwide demand. One result of that is a $14 billion seafood trade deficit.

The U.S. aquaculture industry has potential for growth, particularly in the Great Lakes region, where abundant inland freshwater resources have enabled a handful of state-based aquaculture operations to employ a local workforce and produce sustainable, healthy and tasty fish.

For more information about the Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Day 2020 event and registration, visit the Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative website or contact Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator Elliot Nelson. For information about the Sea Grant Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative, contact Minnesota Sea Grant Extension Educator Amy Schrank.

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/great-lakes-aquaculture-day-announced/

New walleye study aims to make it a viable fish for U.S. recirculating aquaculture

On: April 13, 2020

In: aquaculture, Chris Hartleb, Emma Wiermaa, fish farming, Greg Fischer, NADF, Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, RAS, saugeye, UW-Stevens Point, UWSP, walleye

Research at UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility focuses on out-of-season spawning

Nothing says “Wisconsin” quite like a Friday night fish fry with all the trimmings: rye bread, cole slaw, French fries, and perhaps a cold beer or brandy Old Fashioned. For many people, the star at the center of the plate is crisply battered walleye.

Yet most of the walleye served in restaurants or purchased in grocery stores actually comes from Canada, including a sizable amount from the Canadian waters of Lake Erie, where it is netted by commercial fishermen.

These walleye, raised in a recirculating aquaculture system at the UW-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, are about a year old. (Photo: UWSP NADF)

One way to increase the availability of this popular fish year-round and have it come from U.S. sources is through aquaculture, or fish farming. Research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) and funded by Wisconsin Sea Grant is helping fish farmers get closer to being able to raise walleye year-round in indoor recirculating aquaculture systems.

Said Chris Hartleb, NADF Director and Professor of Fisheries Biology at UW-Stevens Point, “For the past eight years, Wisconsin Sea Grant has provided funding to tackle some of the challenges” related to domesticating walleye (Sander vitreus) and making it suitable for farming. Previous research has examined whether walleye can be raised in tanks and, if so, what the optimal density in the tank is for the fish to thrive, as well as starter feeds for walleye and saugeye, a naturally occurring hybrid of walleye and sauger.

Hartleb and Greg Fischer, NADF Assistant Director/Research Program Manager, are the lead investigators on a new project funded by Wisconsin Sea Grant in its 2020-22 project cycle.

The project will focus on making walleye eggs, fry and juveniles available year-round through out-of-season spawning triggered by photothermal manipulation. This means carefully controlling the amount of light and the temperature to which the fish are exposed. That way, multiple crops of fish could be produced throughout the year, as opposed to the single time per year that happens in the wild.

Other key players in conducting the research are NADF Foreman Kendall Holmes, an advanced fish technician, and fellow technician Jared Neibauer. Aquaculture Outreach Specialist Emma Wiermaa will communicate research results to the fish farmers who can use them.

For the study, some fish will be exposed to an early “spring” in early February 2021, through warming water and more light. “And then hopefully those fish will be triggered to spawn, and we’ll get eggs by the end of February. And so, if it works, we’ll get juvenile fish probably around April or early May,” said Hartleb.

A control group of fish will spawn on the normal cycle that wild fish would—sometime in April—and a third group of fish will have an extended “winter” (again, due to light and temperature) and spawn late.

While this plan may sound straightforward, it is not guaranteed to work in practice. “It sounds simple enough, since those are the two main triggers for fish to spawn: light and temperature,” said Hartleb. “But some studies have shown”—such as work by Sea Grant’s other aquaculture specialist, Fred Binkowski, involving yellow perch at UW-Milwaukee—“that if you rush them or if you delay them, sometimes the embryos, the offspring, turn out not be viable.”

And not only may embryos die, so may juveniles or early adults, so that’s why it is crucial to grow the fish in the study out to a marketable size of 1 to 1.5 pounds.

Because the NADF team will need to keep producing batches of walleye, they’re working with a range of public and private partners to help them grow the fish out to full size. Those partners include the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation in northern Illinois and Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, which is starting an aquaculture program. Northside Enterprises, a fish farm in Black Creek, Wisconsin, will also participate, and several other farms throughout the state have also expressed interest in raising the young walleye to market size.

Earlier walleye outreach at NADF has addressed topics like showing farmers how to feed-train walleye to consume a commercial diet from hatch. (Photo: UWSP NADF)

Said Fischer, who has worked with walleye in a variety of systems for about three decades, “The capability to spawn walleye out of season in a controlled aquaculture setting is paramount to bringing commercial walleye production to fruition in the U.S. We have got to have eggs year-round for this to be commercially acceptable. This newest project will allow us to move this species into the commercial aquaculture production sector in the Midwest.”

As with other NADF projects, outreach is a key component, with Wiermaa—whose position is jointly supported by Wisconsin Sea Grant—leading efforts to share NADF research with fish farmers throughout the state.

Said Wiermaa, “Making our projects results accessible and presenting them in ways that are useful to farmers is just as important as the research results themselves.” This can take a number of forms, including fact sheets, manuals and videos.

Aquaculture Outreach Specialist Emma Wiermaa holds a walleye at the facility in Bayfield, Wis. (Photo: UWSP NADF)

Wiermaa has noted high interest among Midwest fish farmers looking to raise walleye commercially as a food fish. “To respond to these requests for assistance, the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility recently completed a technical video series on raising walleye intensively in water reuse systems. The series compiles nearly a decade of research, and it is accessible online. Results from this newest project will be added to this video series and other outreach tools.”

Ultimately, the NADF team hopes that the research will result in more Wisconsin- and U.S.-raised fish on diners’ plates, and help expand Wisconsin’s aquaculture industry, which is currently a $21 million business that represents about 500 jobs.

“Every time we’ve concluded one of our projects, there’s just tremendous interest [from fish farmers] throughout the Upper Midwest. I think people realize that walleye are a great-tasting fish. And it’s a high-value fish, so it gets a good price on the market,” said Hartleb.

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-walleye-study-at-uwsp-nadf/

Wisconsin fish farmers look to boost their marketing savvy and stay on top of current science

On: March 25, 2020

In: aquaculture, Bret Shaw, fish farming, Kristin Runge, Wisconsin Aquaculture Association

When you picture farming in Wisconsin, you might think first of dairy cattle or vegetable crops. But aquaculture, or fish farming, is also an important part of Wisconsin’s ag economy.

As one speaker—Todd Kalish of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources—pointed out at the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association’s annual conference earlier this month, fish farming represents $21 million in economic activity for our state and 500 jobs. Among Midwestern states, Wisconsin is home to the highest number of aquaculture operations.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic brought business travel to a halt for many, the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association (WAA) held its annual meeting March 6-7 in Marshfield. Wisconsin Sea Grant co-sponsored the conference, reflecting the importance the National Sea Grant Office places on developing sustainable, domestic aquaculture.

The theme of this year’s WAA conference was “Diversifying Our Markets.” As the organization’s president, Bill West of Blue Iris Fish Farm, noted, a lot of farmers love growing things, but find that marketing is not their strong suit or passion. As a result, several sessions were designed to help farmers think creatively about how to connect with consumers.

Bret Shaw presents Sea Grant-supported research on needs and opportunities faced by Wisconsin fish farmers. (Photo: Jennifer Smith)

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers Bret Shaw and Kristin Runge presented their Wisconsin Sea Grant-funded research over several sessions. They undertook a multi-part project that looked at how fish farmers perceive their industry, and what their needs and opportunities are; what Wisconsin consumers think about farm-raised fish; and how people respond to social-media messaging about farmed fish.

Although not present at the conference, collaborators in this work included Shiyu Yang, Laura Witzling, Chris Hartleb and Deidre Peroff. You can find full reports on the work done by this team online (see “Aquaculture in Wisconsin: Results from a Statewide Survey of Fish Farmers” and “Consumer Attitudes Toward Wisconsin Farm-Raised Fish: Public Opinion and Marketing Recommendations.”)

Other sessions covered public-private partnerships related to fish stocking, the latest research from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility, fish health and biosecurity, yellow perch research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, workforce development and more.

Rainbow trout served at lunch came from Silver Moon Springs Farm in Elton, Wisconsin. (Photo: Jennifer Smith)

Of course, it’s not an aquaculture conference without getting to taste the fruits of Wisconsin farmers’ labors. In addition to the traditional “Taste of Wisconsin” evening social highlighting local products, Friday’s lunch—while attendees heard from National Aquaculture Association President Paul Zajicek—was a tasty and healthy plate of rainbow trout from Silver Moon Springs Farm in Elton, Wisconsin.

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/wisconsin-fish-farmers-boost-marketing-savvy/