Baitfish Culture and Research

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Baitfish Culture and Research

• Shawn McWhorter
• Aquaculture Specialist
• Bowling Green Satellite Aquaculture Center

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Back Ground

• Baitfish support a billion dollar per year
  fishery on Lake Erie as well as other sport
  fisheries throughout the state
• At this time, nearly all baitfish are imported
  from out of state
• Some supplies are wild caught

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Back ground continued

• Arkansas leads the nation in baitfish production
• In 1992, there were approximately 25,000 acres
  dedicated to growing bait
• Value of this production was 40 million dollars
  (US)

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Marketing

• It is ESSENTIAL to a prospective producer to
  research markets before ever starting
• Grow it and they will come Is not recommended
• Large interstate markets are dominated by large
  producers with experience and established
  distribution networks

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Marketing Continued

• A good place to search for markets are locations
  isolated from these networks
• Another possibility are fee fishing lakes and
  ponds
• Grouping of small producers is also suggested to
  be able to pool supplies to meet demand

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Marketing Contin.

• Small niche markets may allow the producer to
  earn a higher price
• University of Floridas IFAS Extension Service
  reports farmers getting 15 more over FOB pond
  bank prices
• Economic Considerations of Golden Shiner
  Production in Florida, Lazur and Zimet 1996
  CIR1167 Florida cooperative Extension Service,
  Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences,
  University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611

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Why Ohio ?

• Many parts of the state have the water resources
  needed for pond culture
• We also have good clay soils needed to build
  ponds
• Reduced transportation costs
• Reduced stress on product

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Why here contin.

• Disease problems inhibiting the transport of live
  fish from other states
• Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS)
• APHIS has banned importation and exportation of
  live fish in eight Great Lakes States and two
  Canadian Provinces

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Infrastructure requirements

• WATER May seem a no brainer but you must have it
  to raise fish
• 25 Gallons per minute per surface acre of water
  recommended
• i.e. 5 acre pond, 125 gpm well

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Water Sources

• Well water superior
• Quality and Quantity consistent
• Spring water nearly as good
• Surface waters not recommended
• Quantity and quality variable
• Possible vector of unwanted species and diseases

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Second most important need

• Good clay soils
• 30 clay content required
• Lining of ponds usually cost prohibitive
• Existing ponds not conducive to proper management

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Pond and Farm Design

• This is as important as market research
• Critical for proper management and good culture
  techniques
• PLEASE CONSULT US BEFORE BUILDING
• Designs parameters are well defined
• Currently the Mississippi Delta region has
  145,000 acres of ponds utilizing this design
  philosophy for fish culture. Lets not reinvent
  the wheel

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Experimental Design OSU
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Bait Fish Production TechniquesExtensive Method

• Wild Spawn
• Wild spawn is the extensive method of production.
  (less management)
• With this method egg laying, hatching and
  grow-out occur in the same pond

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Methods continuedIntensive methods

• Egg Transfer
• Brood stock maintained in a separate pond
• A substrate is provided for eggs to be laid on
• Substrate is then moved to a grow out pond

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Feeding Extensive

• Prior to stocking ponds with eggs a food source
  must be provide
• Liquid fertilizers are applied at a specific rate
  to initiate and sustain a planktonic bloom
• Phytoplankton are the basis of the food chain
• This stimulates zooplankton growth which provide
  another food source later in the fishes
  development

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Feeding Intensive

• Ponds are fertilized to initiate a bloom as in
  extensive methods
• Providing feeds small enough for larval fish
• After a certain amount of growth, fish are fed a
  prepared diet

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Intensive Feeding Cont.

• Allows for the customizing of a diet
• De-couples the feed from the weather conditions
• Allows for better condition of the product
• Allows for increased stocking densities

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Water Quality MonitoringFeed (extensive and
intensive)

• Secchi Disc
• Used daily until plankton bloom is well
  established
• Then as needed to maintain plankton bloom

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Oxygen (O2) (intensive extensive)

• Hand held meter
• Taken twice per day
• Early morning
• Evening

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Ammonia (NH3), pH Nitrite(NO2-), Nitrate
(NO3-)(intensive extensive)

• Chemical Kit
• Once weekly or as needed

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Water Sampling Notes

• A standardized sampling regime should be
  implemented
• Same location and time
• Preferably the same personal should do testing

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Record Keeping

• Records should be kept on all aspects of the
  operation
• Establishes a track record of pond performance
• Allows for back tracking should a problem
  present itself
• Allows for future management decisions

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Aeration
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Why aerate?

• Oxygen is the first limiting factor in all forms
  of aquaculture
• During daylight hours phytoplankton
  photosynthesize to meet their energy requirements
• This process contributes the lion share of oxygen
  in the pond

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Aeration continued

• At night the plankton respire, using oxygen in
  their metabolic process, instead of producing it
• In heavily fed ponds, this respiration can use up
  all the oxygen in the pond
• Mechanical aeration is used to address this
  deficit

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Aeration Equipment

• Paddle wheel aerators are the industry standard
• Provide Oxygen
• Also furnish circulation within the pond

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Research at Bowling Green
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Effect of Baitfish and Freshwater Prawn
Polyculture on Production Efficiency
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Development of culture techniques alternative
baitfish speciesSpotfin Shiners (Cyprinella
spiloptera)
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Controlled Breeding SystemBrood System

• Temperature and photoperiod control
• Allows for the timing of breeding cycle

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Hatching System

• Two troughs allow for two (or more) size classes
  of minnows
• After hatching Hester/Dendys are replaced into
  brood system

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Other Projects

• Comparisons of commercially available diets in
  the grow out of Spotfin Shiners
• Identify market potential of Ohio cultured Golden
  Shiners

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Sources of Information

• http//aquanic.org
• Shawn McWhorter
• mcwhorter31_at_ag.osu.edu
• 419-823-1807