Site Selection

1
Site Selection

• Developed by the Harbor Branch ACTED staff

2
What is the perfect site?

• Location
• Climate
• Culture

3
Site Selection

• Location of culture facility
• Type of culture system
• Species selected
• Biophysical requirements
• Processing Marketing
• Legal Restrictions
• Economic Climate

4
Production Methods

• Ponds
• Raceways
• Cages

• Bottom culture
• Net pens
• Recirculating systems

5
US Farms by Method of Aquaculture Production Used
6
Levee Pond Culture

• Levee ponds are the most common fish production
  method
• Common food species
• catfish
• hybrid striped bass
• tilapia

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Levee Ponds

• Site selection
• topography
• pesticides
• utilities
• drainage
• wetlands
• clay content

• Construction
• levee
• depth
• slope
• water
• drains
• Production rates
• 500 3000 kg/acre

8
Site Selection

• Time spent analyzing a site is time well spent
• Many problems associated with levee ponds can be
  traced back to poor site selection

9
Raceways

• Water supply
• use large quantities of water
• gravity springs are most economical
• Location
• near water supply

Photograph by HBOI
10
Cages
Photograph by HBOI

• Site selection
• water sources
• water quality
• Types
• round
• rectangular

11
Cage Placement

• Specifications
• open areas of water to allow good circulation
• provide space between cages
• number depends on size of pond (carrying capacity)

12
Net Pens

• Organisms are reared in natural systems
• No diversion or pumping of water
• Monitoring water quality is essential
• Environments with high flow rates disperse
  fish wastes
• Requires daily servicing of cages
• High risk in hurricanes and tropical storms

13
Net Pens
Photograph by HBOI
14
Recirculating Systems

• Site components
• building
• tanks
• filtration
• pump house
• emergency generator
• 3 phase electricity
• bulk feed storage
• oxygen supply

Photograph by HBOI
15
Building Construction
Photograph by HBOI
Photograph by HBOI
Enclosed Semi-enclosed
Photograph by HBOI
16
Culture Tanks
Photograph by HBOI
Photograph by HBOI
17
Water Flow
Photograph by HBOI
Photograph by HBOI
18
Water Requirements

• Ponds
• 10 25 gallons per minute per surface acre
• Raceways
• 500 gallons per minute
• Recirculating Systems
• Daily exchange rate average of 10 20

19
Species Selection

• Biological Considerations
• - Water Temperature Water Quality
• - Fresh, Brackish, Saltwater
• - Growth Rate
• - Feeding Habits
• - Reproduction
• - Hardiness
• - Productivity
• Marketing
• Economics

20
Always Remember Your Production Strategy
to produce the optimal quantity of an
proper sized animal in the shortest period of
time by proper husbandry and stock manipulation