Beginning Farmer Webinar:
Getting Started with Aquaculture
Elliot Nelson, Extension Educator
Michigan Sea Grant College Program – Michigan State University Extension
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
45
40
1989
There is much room for
expansion in areas other than
Asia
1999
2009
Yield (MMT)
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
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?
Commercial Harvest (1,000 lbs)
Trends in Lake Huron
18000
16000
14000
12000
Whitefish
Total
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
Trends in Lake Michigan
Commercial Harvest (1,000 lbs)
60000
Total
50000
Whitefish
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
Trends in Lake Michigan
60000
Total
Whitefish
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
160
38%
140
Aquaculture
120
Capture
9.2%
Yield (MMT)
100
80
60
40
20
0
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Yield MMT.
Future Trends in Seafood Production
375
2025
Aquaculture
350
73%
325
Capture
300
2011
275
50%
250
225
200
175
150
125
100
75
50
25
0
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
FAO data and Diana projection
12
Yield (million tons)
10
8
Top 24 Species Produced
Globally
Capture
Culture
•14 of the 24 top species are cultured
•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
•2 of the 10 capture species are for reduction to fishmeal
6
4
2
0
Common name
FAO 2011
Top Seafood Products Consumed in US
Top Seafood Products
– USgrowing in MI?
Best potential
2014
1
2013
2012
Species
Lbs
Species
Lbs
Species
Lbs
Shrimp
4
Shrimp
3.6
Shrimp
3.8
2.4
2.307
Salmon
2.702
Canned
Tuna
3
Canned
Tuna
2.3
Canned
Tuna
2.3
Salmon
2.02
4
Tilapia
1.436
Tilapia
1.43
Tilapia
1.476
5
Pollock
0.981
Pollock
1.154
Pollock
1.167
6
Pangasius
0.69
Pangasius
0.771
Pangasius
0.726
7
Cod
0.657
Cod
0.605
Crab
0.523
8
Catfish
0.517
Catfish
0.566
Cod
0.521
9
Crab
0.508
Crab
0.548
Catfish
0.5
10
Clams
0.342
Clams
0.352
Clams
0.347
2
Salmon
Total All Species 14.6
U.S. Per-Capita Consumption By Species in Pounds
Data from National Marine Fisheries Service.
14.5
14.4
Aquaculture in Michigan
Michigan Aquaculture
0
Value ($ million)
1
2
3
201
3
200
5
199
8
4
Farm
s
0
20
# Farms
15 year track record
Source: USDA Aquaculture Census
40
60
What are people raising in MI?
…and why are they raising it?
Aquaculture Products in Michigan
 Commodity and
Secondary Food
Products
 Baitfish
 Fish for Stocking
Private or Public
Waters
 Egg and
Fry/Juvenile
Production
 Fish for aquarium
trade
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
to live and grow?
(i.e. what do you
have to put into the
water?)
 Food
 Oxygen
 Clean water
 Space
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
 Nutrient pollution
from solids
 Effluent difficult to
treat
 Disease and
parasite transfer
 Chemicals
 Low cost of operation
 Low carbon footprint/nrg
 Ocean systems can be
multi trophic to treat
waste
 Can use disease-free fry
 Use of native species,
triploids, etc
 Most common
type of system
in Michigan
 Rainbow trout
 Salmonids
Flow Through Aquaculture
 Potential downsides  Positive and treatments
 Fish escape
 Nutrient pollution
from solids
 Effluent difficult to
treat
 Disease and
parasite transfer
 Low cost of operation
 Low carbon footprint/nrg
 Can collect solids
 Effluent can be treated
for some facilities
 Can use disease-free fry
 Use of native species,
triploids, etc
Pond Culture
 Walleye, Musky, panfish, minnows
Pond Aquaculture
 Potential downside  Positive and treatments
 Low rearing density
 Seasonal growth
 Effluent pollution
 Chemicals
 Erosion of
embankments
 Attracts unwanted
species
 Low cost of operation
 Low carbon footprint/nrg
 Can treat effluent
 Minimal solid waste
 Creates habitat
Aquaponics
Flint Aquahome
Recirculating Aquaculture
 Potential Impacts  Positive and treatments
 Economic
viability?
 High energy and
start up costs
 Larger carbon
footprint
 More chemical
treatments?
 Lowest chance of
escapement
 Water fully treated
 Full control of system, can
grow warm water species
 Water use limited
 Potential marketing value?
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
-system design
-monitoring
-pumps/hydraulics
-electrical
-energy
Credit
Dr. Barbara
Evans
FISH HEALTH
-development
-behavior
-water quality
-disease
Sustainability
BUSINESS
-entrepreneurship
-economics
-marketing
-life skills
A Business Plan
 Start up costs
 Buildings / Land
 Construction
 Equipment
 Permits
 Operational costs
 Labor
 Utilities
 Feed, Medication
 Fry/eggs
 Processing and
transportation
costs
 Potential products
 Potential markets
Properly Site your Facility
 Consider
 Water sources
 Water quality and
quantity
 Discharge options
 Surrounding
infrastructure
 Surrounding markets
 GIS Siting Tool
coming soon (MSU
Extension)
 MI Aquaculture
Siting GAAMP
coming soon
(MDARD)
Regulations and Permits
Michigan Aquaculture
Development Act of 1996
 Required
aquaculture
facilities to
purchase a
license from the
state
 Restricted
industry to
specific species
list
 Defined
aquaculture as an
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 Aquaculturehttp://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-12548096_48099_48140-345145--,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_Pro
grams_-_JH_edits_356064_7.pdf
 Marketing Guide http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/MDA_guide_335948_7.pdf
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Elliot Nelson
elliotne@msu.edu, 906-322-0353
www.miseagrant.umich.edu
www.