Beginning Farmer Webinar:

Getting Started with Aquaculture

Elliot Nelson, Extension Educator
Michigan Sea Grant College Program – Michigan State University Extension
 MSU is an affirmative-action,
equal-opportunity employer.
Michigan State University
Extension programs and
materials are open to all
without regard to race, color,
national origin, sex, gender,
gender identity, religion, age,
height, weight, disability,
political beliefs, sexual
orientation, marital status,
family status or veteran
status.
 What is Sea Grant?
 A network of 33  Tasked with
state focused protecting and
programs promoting sustainable
use of coastal
resources
 Achieved through
 Research
 Education
 Outreach
 Sea Grant Focus Areas
 Resilient Communities and Economies

 Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

 Environmental Literacy and Workforce

Development

 Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

 Outline
 Seafood consumption and source trends
 Potential Species
 Types of aquaculture systems
 Starting aquaculture facilities in MI
 Q&A time
 Spatial Extent
The Great Lakes basin drains almost 520,000 km2
(200,000 mi2)

Length of shoreline totals 17,000 km (10,200 mi,

including connecting channels, mainland and
islands).

The U.S, shoreline is 7,200 km (4,500 mi), longer than

the U.S. east coast and Gulf Coasts combined.

If the water of the Great Lakes were spread across

the continental us, everything would be covered in
10 feet of water
 Michigan Lakes and Stream
 Michigan has 32,000 miles of rivers and
streams
 Michigan has over 11,000 inland lakes
and ponds
 Massive amount of water in
underground aquifers, including many
artesian wells
 The Great Lakes are an Amazing Resource
They make us a leader in many types of agriculture

Can we be a leader in
aquaculture too?
Michigan produces over 300 agricultural commodities
Michigan has 9.9 million acres of Agg land
So what is Aquaculture?
 Why does aquaculture matter?
 Globally demand for
seafood is expected
to rise1
 20% in North America over next 20
years

 50% in China and other nearby

Asian countries over next 20 years
 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
aquaculture/faqs/faq_aq_101.html

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/aquaculture/faqs/faq_aq_101.html
 Why does aquaculture matter?
 Currently the
US has an 11
billion seafood
trade deficit
 This is second
only to oil in
natural
resource
trade deficits
 Changes in Culture Production

50
1989 There is much room for
45 expansion in areas other than
1999 Asia
40 2009

35

30
Yield (MMT)

25

20

15

10

0
Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania
FAO 2011
Over 90% of Seafood eaten in
Michigan is imported
Where will Seafood come from
to meet the demand?
 Trends in Lake Huron
18000
Commercial Harvest (1,000 lbs)

16000
Whitefish
14000
Total
12000

10000

8000

6000

4000

2000

0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
 Trends in Lake Michigan
60000
Commercial Harvest (1,000 lbs)

Total
50000
Whitefish

40000

30000

20000

10000

0
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
 Trends in Lake Michigan
60000

Total
50000 Whitefish

40000

30000

20000

10000

0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060
 160 38%

140 Aquaculture

120 Capture
9.2%
100
Yield (MMT)

80

60

40

20

0
Future Trends in Seafood Production
350 Aquaculture 2025
Capture 73%
300
2011
250
Yield MMT.

50%
200

150

100

50

0
1111111111111111111122222222222222222222222222
9999999999999999999900000000000000000000000000
8888888888999999999900000000001111111111222222
0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345
FAO data and Diana projection
 Top 24 Species Produced
12
Globally
Capture 14 of the 24 top species are cultured
Culture
10 12 of the 14 cultured species are low trophic level and mainly reared
semi-intensively – probably over 60% of culture production today is
done without using formulated feeds completely
8
Yield (million tons)

2 of the 10 capture species are for reduction to fishmeal

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Common name

FAO 2011
Top Seafood Products Consumed
Top Seafood Products – US
in US
Best potential growing in MI?
2014 2013 2012
S pe cie s Lbs S pe cie s Lbs S pe cie s Lbs
1 S hrimp 4 S hrimp 3.6 S hrimp 3.8
Canned
2 S almon 2.307 S almon 2.702 Tuna 2.4
Canned Canned
3 Tuna 2.3 Tuna 2.3 S almon 2.02
4 Tilapia 1.436 Tilapia 1.43 Tilapia 1.476
5 P ollock 0.981 P ollock 1.154 P ollock 1.167
6 P angas ius 0.69 P angas ius 0.771 P angas ius 0.726
7 Cod 0.657 Cod 0.605 Crab 0.523
8 Catfis h 0.517 Catfis h 0.566 Cod 0.521
9 Crab 0.508 Crab 0.548 Catfis h 0.5
10 Clams 0.342 Clams 0.352 Clams 0.347

To ta l All S pe cie s 14.6 14.5 14.4

U.S. Per-Capita Consumption By Species in Pounds
Data from National Marine Fisheries Service.
Aquaculture in Michigan
Michigan Aquaculture
Value
($ mil-
lion)
0 1 2 3 4

2013 Value
Farms
2005

1998

0 10 20 30 40 50 60
# Farms
15 year track record
Source: USDA Aquaculture Census
What are people raising in MI?
…and why are they raising it?
Aquaculture Products in Michigan
 Commodity and  Egg and
Secondary Food Fry/Juvenile
Products Production
 Baitfish  Fish for aquarium
 Fish for Stocking trade
Private or Public
Waters
 What to Grow?
 Consider the following when choosing a
species to grow
 Brood stock / egg and fry availability
 Formulated feed availability
 Climate constraints
 Disease susceptibility
 Aquaculture Species in MI
 Rainbow Trout, and other cold water
trout (Brook, Brown, Char)
 Aquaculture Species in MI
 Tropical or Warm Water Species
 Tilapia
 Barumundi
 Shrimp
 Aquaculture Species in MI
 Walleye and Saugeye

Credit: Oklahoma Wildlife Department

 Aquaculture Species in MI
 Yellow Perch
 Aquaculture Species in MI
 Bluegill and other Pan fish
 Aquaculture Products in MI
 Fathead Minnow, Shiners and other
Baitfish

 And many other native and non-native

gamefish species for stocking…
 Bass
 Pike
 Pacific and Atlantic Salmon Species
 Aquaculture in Michigan
 Currently the industry is small, but has
a number of successful businesses
 Progress has and is being made on
regulatory environment, trained
workforce, and social acceptance
 The potential is upwards of a 1 Billion
dollar industry in the state
Excited to become an
aquaculturists yet?
 How to Grow Fish
 What do fish need  Food
to live and grow?  Oxygen
(i.e. what do you  Clean water
have to put into the  Space
water?)
 How to Grow Fish
 What do you have  Carbon Dioxide
to take out of the  Fish poop (Solids,
water? and dissolved
liquid waste)
 The Fish!
Primarily Atlantic Salmon
 Currently Net-pen is not slated
to happen in MI Waters
 2 permit applications
 Science panel review
 Economic panel review
 Regulatory review
 Quality of Life Agencies
recommended against
 Net-pen Aquaculture
 Potential downside  Positive and treatments
 Fish escape  Low cost of operation
 Nutrient pollution  Low carbon footprint/nrg
from solids  Ocean systems can be
 Effluent difficult to multi trophic to treat
treat waste
 Disease and  Can use disease-free fry
parasite transfer  Use of native species,
 Chemicals triploids, etc
 Most common
type of system
in Michigan
 Rainbow trout
 Salmonids
 Flow Through Aquaculture
 Potential downsides  Positive and treatments
 Fish escape  Low cost of operation
 Nutrient pollution  Low carbon footprint/nrg
from solids  Can collect solids
 Effluent difficult to  Effluent can be treated
treat for some facilities
 Disease and  Can use disease-free fry
parasite transfer  Use of native species,
triploids, etc
 Pond Culture

 Walleye, Musky, panfish, minnows

 Pond Aquaculture
 Potential downside  Positive and treatments
 Low rearing density  Low cost of operation
 Seasonal growth  Low carbon footprint/nrg
 Effluent pollution  Can treat effluent
 Chemicals  Minimal solid waste
 Erosion of  Creates habitat
embankments
 Attracts unwanted
species
Aquaponics
Flint Aquahome
 Recirculating Aquaculture
 Potential Impacts  Positive and treatments
 Economic  Lowest chance of
viability? escapement
 High energy and  Water fully treated
start up costs  Full control of system, can
 Larger carbon grow warm water species
footprint  Water use limited
 More chemical  Potential marketing value?
treatments?
Other Considerations
 RAS requires 3x the investment
over “conventional aquaculture”
 Over 3x the density
(issues with organics, animal
rights and off flavor)
 2.5x electrical requirements
 2x carbon footprint
 30% + premium pricing
 US failure rate estimated 80-
90%
What do you need to get started?
What do you need to get started?
 ENGINEERING FISH HEALTH
-system design -development
-monitoring -behavior
-pumps/hydraulics -water quality
-electrical -disease
-energy Sustainability

BUSINESS
-entrepreneurship
Credit -economics
Dr. Barbara -marketing
Evans -life skills
 A Business Plan
 Start up costs  Processing and
 Buildings / Land transportation
 Construction costs
 Equipment
 Permits
 Potential products
 Operational costs
 Potential markets
 Labor
 Utilities
 Feed, Medication
 Fry/eggs
 Properly Site your Facility
 Consider  GIS Siting Tool
 Water sources coming soon (MSU
 Water quality and Extension)
quantity  MI Aquaculture
 Discharge options Siting GAAMP
 Surrounding coming soon
infrastructure
(MDARD)
 Surrounding markets
Regulations and Permits
 Michigan Aquaculture
Development Act of 1996
 Restricted
 Required industry to
aquaculture specific species
facilities to list
purchase a  Defined
license from the aquaculture as an
state agricultural
operation
 Permit Considerations
 Liquid and Solid Waste
 NPDES for discharge into water
(if discharging 30+ days per year
and 20,000 pounds of warm
water or 100,000 pounds of cold
water fish per year produced)
 Groundwater discharge if
discharging onto land
 Permit Considerations
 Water Source Permits
 Water withdrawal if wells have
a 70 gallon per minute capacity
 Joint Permit IF altering surface
waters or wetland
 Permit Considerations
 Processing, Stocking and Transportation
 Import/Export Permits
 Stocking Permits
 Disease free certification
 Seafood HACCP (For processing)
 Permit Considerations
 Voluntary options
 GAAMPS (in development)
 MEAP certification
 USDA Organic (in development)
 Some Resources
 Michigan Aquaculture Association – AIM Roadmap
http://michiganaquaculture.org/
 MDARD Aquaculture- http
://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-48096_48099_48
140-345145--,
00.html
 Wisconsin Aquaculture Association
http://www.wisconsinaquaculture.com/
 WI and Great Lakes Best Management Practices
https://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/PDFs/AquacultureBMP.pdf
 North Central Regional Aquaculture Center - Chris Weeks
http://www.ncrac.org/ - Species Culture Manuals
 Michigan Sea Grant – Ron Kinnunen, Elliot Nelson:
http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/
 Some Potential Grants and Loans
 USDA – National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grants
 NOAA Fisheries – Office of Aquaculture
 SARE Grants - http://www.sare.org/Grants
 MDARD List of Financial Services http
://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdard/Financial_Assistance_Progra
ms_-_
JH_edits_356064_7.pdf
 Marketing Guide - http://
www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/MDA_guide_335948_7.pdf
 Elliot Nelson
elliotne@msu.edu, 906-322-0353
www.miseagrant.umich.edu
www.