Innovations and Georgia Aquaculture Gary J. Burtle Animal & Dairy Science The University of Georgia www.cpes.peachnet.edu/aquaculture

Hybrid Catfish Project Interest in Hybrid Catfish is gaining ground in the Southeast U.S. Selling for 1.25 to 3.0 cents per inch depending on state and quantity Highest prices in Alabama Limited by fingerling availability

Spawning Hybrids Need 5 yr old blue males, 4-5 year old channel females Check females each week during spawning season and inject with carp pituitary Inject male blue catfish with carp pituitary and dissect testes for in vitro fertilization after female is stripped of eggs, 3-5 females per male Expect 3,000 to 4,000 fry per female

Hybridization Trial Results 50% of females will produce eggs by stripping after hormone injection Male blue catfish can be stimulated with urine from female blue catfish Harvest testes within 24 hours of stimulation, urine or hormone Maintain 78 degree water for best results

Hybrid Stocking Obtain hybrid fingerlings from hatcheries with disease control programs Have fingerlings inspected for disease prior to purchase Apply chelated copper rather than copper sulfate for hybrid ponds Stock 6,000 to 10,000 per acre 0.05 to 1.5 pounds in 5 months

Vietnamese Catfish Basa, Pangasius bacurti Grown in cages on rice bran and dried fish Sold as frozen fillets From 7 million pounds in 2000 to over 20 million pounds in 2001 Illegal label until October 2001

Basa

Cage Culture of Basa

National Bill Sets Label Law Introduced in House in early 2001 passed Senate in October Requires “catfish” to be from the family “Ictaluridae” and excludes “Siluridae” or “Pangasiidae”

Status of Imported Catfish Label Basa fish sold as catfish perceived as illegal July 2001, Vietnam orders all basa labelled as product of Vietnam, Mekon catfish, basa catfish, or pangas catfish. October 2001, US Senate passes label law to require proper catfish labeling

Impact of Vietnamese Catfish 20 million pounds of fillets in 2001 23% of farm raised catfish fillet market 3% of US catfish market Competition at time of US economic recession Pond bank price below 50 cents per pound in Mississippi, 53 cents in Georgia

Fish Imports (1,000 lb) Sept 2000 2001 Jan-Sep Catfish Fillet 615 1,401 5,174 12,175 Tilapia Products 7,499 5,552 40,787 50,007

Cold Storage Holdings (1,000 lb) Down 8 to 13% since 2000 10-31-00 10-31-01 9-31-01 Catfish 12,906 11,873 13,337 Saltwater Total 278,085 240,879 240,713

Fresh Fish Prices at Fulton Market (Nov 30, 2001) Catfish Fillet $ 2.75 /lb Cod Fillet $ 4.00 /lb ($2.00 frozen) Tilapia Fillet $ 3.90 /lb Hybrid Striped Bass Fillet

Tilapia Culture Several Recirculating Systems in Georgia Some small hydroponics systems also in Georgia Processing in North Carolina by Southern States Cooperative Systems are in a 45-50 mile radius of Valdosta

Economics of Tilapia Culture Based on capital provided by others Must have land and positive net worth Must be identifiable as a farmer Approximately $20,000 net per year per system as a goal Only available through Southern States Cooperative

Freshwater Prawns Machrobrachium rosenbergii An exotic shrimp from Malaysia Tropical Lives in freshwater for part of its life-cycle

U. S. Prawn Culture Of interest for over 25 years Limited by the availability of seed stock Cultured in Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, recently in Georgia Average production 500 to 800 pounds per acre. Maximum production about 2,500 lb/A.

Prawn Production in Ponds Prepare pond for stocking Stock 10,000 to 30,000 juveniles per acre Fertilize for first 30 – 60 days Feed a sinking feed during months 2-4 Monitor and control oxygen and pH Use narrow ponds less than 2 acres in size Harvest before water falls below 60 degrees

Proper Sized Juvenile Prawns 60 day old, 95/oz 28-35 day old, 250 to 280 per oz Uniform size very important Careful handling and stocking are essential to juvenile survival Avoid overcrowding

Feeding Prawns Start with cottonseed meal and N-P-K Use sinking catfish feed for 500 to 800 lb/A Use shrimp diet for higher yields Monitor zooplankton with net during first month Feed over entire pond area Estimate feed rate based on prawn samples

Water Quality in Prawn Ponds Aerate continuously Keep oxygen above 3.0 ppm Monitor pH twice each day Flush with water to keep below 9.0 (Use pond water of low pH if possible) Add gypsum to lower pH, 1,000 to 2,000 lb/Acre added as needed

Harvest Procedure Seine most of prawns with water at 1/2 depth Use 1/2 inch mesh seine, grade with bar grader, 62/64 width Consider partial harvest one month before end of season Final harvest requires pond draining

Economic Sketch Breakeven at 1,000 lb/A is about $5.00 per pound Juveniles cost $1,500 to $3,000 per acre Feed costs $300 to $550 per acre Aeration costs $200 to $400 per acre Labor cost $800 to $1,200 per acre Variable cost total$2,800 to $5,100 per acre

Litopenaeus vannamei

Conditions for Culture 0.5 to 2.0 parts per thousand salinity Recirculated water or small, aerated ponds Establish bacterial food source as well as feeding an adequate sinking pellet Warm water temperatures would require indoor culture in Georgia Indoor culture may prevent disease outbreak

Current Status of Perry Project Contact William MacGrath 478-988-0590 Georgia Marine Shrimp Project Looking for Cooperating Farmers for Phase 2 of project Economics available in next 12 to 24 months