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In: Emma Hauser, recirculating aquaculture, UWSP NADF, walleye

Good news for fans of the Friday fish fry: locally raised walleye may soon be coming to a plate near you.

This past spring, the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) released the “Walleye Culture Guide,” a manual for fish farmers on how to raise walleye from egg to market-size fish using indoor recirculating aquaculture systems.

Cover of the Walley Culture Guide, which features four images of walleye at different life stages

The “Walleye Culture Guide” helps fish farmers raise walleye using indoor recirculating aquaculture.

According to lead author and aquaculture outreach specialist Emma Hauser, the guide is the culmination of years of research and a great enthusiasm for the fish, especially in the upper Midwest where it’s enjoyed both as a game fish and one that’s good to eat.

“The facility has been raising walleye for probably the last 15 years now, and there’s been such a strong interest in raising the species indoors for food fish,” she said.

The 65-page guide features findings from Wisconsin Sea Grant-funded research investigating how to raise walleye using indoor tanks for commercial production. Projects explored different starter feeds for walleye, the optimal density of fish per tank, and more recently, how to manipulate light levels and water temperature to ensure they spawn year round.

The process of raising walleye indoors, however, is a tricky one. NADF research program manager and coauthor Tyler Firkus noted that walleye physiology presents a unique challenge.

“When walleye hatch, they’re the size of your eyelash and are very, very delicate,” said Firkus. “It’s really difficult to provide the right conditions for them to thrive and begin accepting a commercial feed, where those issues are easier to overcome with Atlantic salmon or rainbow trout.”

The guide explains the procedures NADF has been refining over the past 15 years to navigate such challenges and features photos and diagrams of protocols, equipment and fish at different life stages. Firkus hopes the visuals make the information more accessible to fish farmers and easier to understand.

“One of the big problems is that a lot of the information that farmers would need to raise walleye is in difficult-to-access or difficult-to-read academic journals,” said Firkus. “And while that’s a great avenue for disseminating this work to the academic community, for the average fish farmer, that’s not the most effective mode of transferring that science.”

A person holds up a market-size walleye produced at NADF.

A market-sized walleye raised at the UWSP Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility. Credit: Emma Hauser

Prospective walleye producers can also consult NADF’s video series, the “Walleye Culture Video Manual,” to learn how to perform the basics of raising walleye indoors, like cleaning tanks and hatching fish. The video series and the guide complement each other: one demonstrates the nuts and bolts of walleye aquaculture, and the other provides the details.

Both the manual and video series are free and available to the public. Said Firkus, “What I hope is that [fish farmers] who are on the edge of deciding what species to raise can decide to go for walleye with a bit more confidence because they have this wonderful guide.”

Walleye continues to be a species with substantial aquaculture potential as a food fish due to well-established markets, high value and fast growth when raised indoors in water reuse systems. Currently, most of the walleye consumed in the Midwest is imported from Canada. With the help of this guide, restaurants across the country could soon feature walleye raised a little closer to home.

Said Hauser, “To be able to raise fresh, locally produced walleye to market is a major benefit not only to consumers but to our local fish farmers.”

The post New aquaculture guide helps fish farmers raise walleye for commercial production first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-aquaculture-guide-helps-fish-farmers-raise-walleye-for-commercial-production/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-aquaculture-guide-helps-fish-farmers-raise-walleye-for-commercial-production

Jenna Mertz

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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.

The post Lake Talks series to explore sustainable, land-based fish farming first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/lake-talks-series-to-explore-sustainable-land-based-fish-farming/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lake-talks-series-to-explore-sustainable-land-based-fish-farming

Jennifer Smith

On:
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.

The post Collaborative network for recirculating aquaculture moves into next phase first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/collaborative-network-for-recirculating-aquaculture-moves-into-next-phase/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=collaborative-network-for-recirculating-aquaculture-moves-into-next-phase

Jennifer Smith

On:
In: aquaculture, aquaponics, Atlantic salmon, Emma Wiermaa, Greg Fischer, RAS, RAS-N, recirculating aquaculture, Salmo salar, workforce development

Sea Grant effort will support growth of land-based salmon industry in U.S.

 

Meeting attendees from across the country got a true taste of a northern Wisconsin winter at the inaugural meeting for a Sea Grant-funded effort to support the sustainable development of the land-based Atlantic salmon industry in the U.S.

As the gathering kicked off in Washburn in December, the mercury read a nippy 6 degrees Fahrenheit, with subzero wind chills. Yet energy levels inside the Harbor View Event Center were high as approximately 50 attendees began laying the groundwork for a robust collaboration that was dubbed RAS-N, for “Recirculating Aquaculture Salmon Network.”

The effort is being funded as part of a larger package of $16 million in federal aquaculture grants announced in September 2019 by the National Sea Grant Office.

Participants at the meeting included Sea Grant staff from Maryland, Maine and Wisconsin, as well as the National Sea Grant Office; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff; and representatives from private industry, including feed and salmon producers.

Maryland Sea Grant is leading the three-year project to identify and address challenges faced by the land-based Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) industry. The Wisconsin and Maine Sea Grant programs are partners in the multistate consortium. The project builds upon earlier Sea Grant investment in this area, including research based in Wisconsin.

The December event spanned two full days of presentations and discussion. It also featured a tour of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) in nearby Bayfield. Attendees observed various NADF research projects with Atlantic salmon and other fish species.

Emma Wiermaa, an aquaculture outreach specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant and NADF, and Greg Fischer, assistant director and research program manager at NADF, played major roles in organizing this productive event.

Said Fischer, “I was very impressed by the commitment of the group, who showed up in the middle of a good old-fashioned Wisconsin snowstorm. Even with record-setting low temperatures, many expressed how glad they were that they came, some from as far as Europe.”

Growing the economy—and the workforce

As one of the conference speakers noted — Brian Peterson of the USDA’s National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center in Maine — seafood represents the United States’ largest trade deficit of any agricultural product. And, as David O’Brien, acting director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture, told the group, “Wild fisheries alone cannot meet the increasing demand for seafood.”

This sets the stage for sustainable U.S. aquaculture to help meet the world’s demand for seafood while growing a sector of the U.S. economy.

Emma Wiermaa, aquaculture outreach specialist with Wisconsin Sea Grant and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility. (Photo: Jim Gill)

As Wiermaa observed, “Land-based, water reuse systems for growing Atlantic salmon allow the fish to be raised close to market, with limited impacts on the surrounding environment. The result is fresh, local filets for consumers.”

Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh is already having success in this arena as the country’s first land-based Atlantic salmon producer and world’s largest aquaponic farm. Said Chief Science Officer Steve Summerfelt, 99.9% of the facility’s water flow is recycled, and there is zero discharge to surface water. Superior Fresh currently employs more than 70 staff and is expanding.

Representatives from Riverence, Whole Oceans and American Salmon — other private entities currently in this space or preparing to launch facilities — also presented.

Several speakers addressed the educational and workforce development aspects of the industry.

Scarlett Tudor of the University of Maine’s Aquaculture Research Institute described her campus’ approach to fostering the future aquaculture workforce. By placing paid interns in companies, the university helps students build their resumes while conducting research for industry that may not otherwise be possible. The university is also interested in reaching noncredit students. As Tudor noted, hands-on experience is key in the aquaculture world, and not everyone needs a degree for their particular career path.

Wiermaa noted that NADF hosts one or two student technicians at a time, and more than 90% of those techs find aquaculture positions after their stint in Bayfield is over. UW-Stevens Point is a leader in aquaculture education. It is the first accredited university in Wisconsin to offer an aquaculture minor (which is still uncommon in U.S. colleges) and the first in the country to offer full-semester aquaponics courses, a master class and professional certificate program.

Aquaculture manager Kyle Woolever handles young Atlantic salmon at Wisconsin-based Superior Fresh, an aquaponic farm raising leafy greens along with fish. (Photo: Sara Stathas)

Fish health, biosecurity, consumer perceptions and other topics were also addressed during the wide-ranging meeting. The aim of this gathering was to bring together a small, focused group of stakeholders to get the project off the ground.        

Said Summerfelt, “I’m excited that Sea Grant has supported RAS-N, which has brought together land-based salmon stakeholders–producers, suppliers, trainers of the workforce, and academics—for the first time. With this kickoff meeting in Washburn, we have begun preparing a roadmap to address our needs and gaps in knowledge to reduce risk and increase production efficiencies, as well as consumer awareness. RAS-N is providing a terrific venue for collaboration.”

Future steps in 2020 will be a RAS-N session at the Aquaculture America conference in Honolulu in February, and a fall gathering at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology in Baltimore. Organizers expect to invite a larger group of stakeholders to the Maryland meeting as the collaboration continues to take shape.

Original Article

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/salmon-aquaculture-project-kickoff/

Jennifer Smith