Florida Aquaculture

New Opportunities in Agriculture

Cortney L. Ohs

Florida Aquaculture Production: 2003

• Florida producers reported sales totaling $95.5 million.

• 544 active producers using 6450 acres

• Thousands of people are employed throughout Florida

Florida Aquaculture Production: Freshwater ornamentals

• Florida tropical fish sales totaled $47.3 million in 2003

•Sales of freshwater ornamental fish constituted over 49.4% of aquaculture revenues in Florida

• Trend toward greenhouses and tanks rather than ponds

Florida Aquaculture Production: Aquatic Plants

• Aquatic plants totaled $20.4 million in 2003

• 37 growers used over 407 acres of surface area

• Aquatic plants are sold for water gardens, aquaria, and wetland restoration

Florida Aquaculture Production: Hardshell Clams

• Clam production $13 million in 2003, making Florida the leading clam producer in the U.S.

• Many fishermen have become clam farmers, particularly in Cedar Key, Charlotte County, and along the Indian River Lagoon

Florida Aquaculture Production: Tilapia

•Tilapia sales reached $1.5 million from 17 producers in 2003

•The industry has experienced steady growth in size with a slight decline in the number of producers

Florida Aquaculture Production: Catfish and Other Sport and Gamefish

•Catfish sales increased to $1.5 million in 2003. 41 growers (mostly in the panhandle) used 776 acres of surface waters.

•Sport and gamefish production was $2.8 million, with 26 growers operating on 238 acres.

Florida Aquaculture Production:Alligator - Alligator mississippiensis

• US $2.45 million farmgate in 2003, with 14 producers

• Producers sold 812,000 pounds of meat at $4.11/pound

• 16,565 hides were sold at $99/hide ($1.64 million total)

Florida Aquaculture Production:“Other Aquatics”

•“Other aquatics, including crawfish, freshwater prawns, eels, marine ornamentals and others were valued at $895 thousand in 2003, representing a strong diversification of Florida’s aquaculture industry.

Opportunities for the Future of Aquaculture in Florida

• Shrimp– Low salinity marine shrimp– Freshwater prawns

• Marine fish species– Baitfish– Ornamentals

• High value freshwater fish species– Ornamentals– Hybrid striped bass– Barramundi

Marine Shrimp• Low salinity culture methods

have been demonstrated in ponds and raceways

• Currently 5 commercial ventures• Relatively high investment costs• High density intensive culture

methods• High per acre production• 1 crop per year• Well established worldwide

markets• Competition from imports• Marketing effort required to

attain premium retail prices

Marine Bait Shrimp

• Low salinity possible• Must be native species• High market value• Multiple crops per year• Requires consistent

supply of juveniles • Broodstock maturation

required

Freshwater Prawns

• Low input• Low density• Semi-intensive• Two crops per year in

FL• Requires marketing effort

to attain high retail prices• Viable option for small ponds

and canals

Marine Baitfish

Marine Baitfish

• Huge established markets with high demand

• Natural spawning techniques known• Research needs

– Low salinity growout– Handling and holding methods– Larval culture techniques– Pond and tank growout methods

Cage vs. Pond Culture of Fish

• Can utilize existing bodies of water with no modification

• Construct cages and docks

• Requires aeration

• Requires construction of levees and drains

• Requires aeration

Cage Pond

Potential Fish for Cage Culture

• Tilapia• Hybrid striped bass• Barramundi / Asian

Sea Bass

Barramundi / Asian Sea Bass

• Huge production in Australia and S.E. Asia• Cultured in fresh or low saline water• Pond / Cage / Tank• High stocking densities• Very rapid growth rate• High market value ($8/lb retail for whole fish)

– Well established foreign markets with high demand

– Developing markets in US

Additional Information

• Http://www.floridaaquaculture.com

• Http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

David Griffis

UF IFAS Extension

Natural Resource Agent

386-822-5778

Dgriffis@co.volusia.fl.us

Cortney L. Ohs, Ph.D.Assistant Professor - Aquaculture

 Indian River Research and Education

Center2199 South Rock Road

Fort Pierce FL 34945-3138

Phone: 772-468-3922 ext. 130cohs@ifas.ufl.edu

Thank You

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This presentation brought to you by the

Small Farms/Alternative Enterprises Focus Team.