Source: News-Sentinel World News 8/03/2007 11:45:33
Lisa Esquivel Long
Let them eat fish.
Thats the idea behind converting old hog and poultry barns into aquaculture production facilities. The Allen County Extension office will be one site presenting a live video on the possibility 7-9 p.m. Thursday.
A lot of these hog barns are sitting there, and they can be utilized, said Gonzalee Martin, extension educator agriculture/natural resources. He sees great possibilities for farmers interested in giving it a try.
Selling the fish wont be a problem, Martin said. Restaurants and fish-fry organizers might welcome the source.
With studies touting the nutritional value of fish, as well as possible connections to improving memory, Shawn McWhorter, a research associate/aquaculture specialist at Ohio State Universitys satellite site in Bowling Green, sees a growing popularity of aquaculture.
Its getting more mainstream, he said.
One hog and crop operation he worked with was losing $5,000 to $7,000 a week, and the fourth-generation family decided to try aquaculture, he said. But its not cheap to start, and McWhorter cautions against just plunging in. A farmer in Bellevue, Ohio, spent $250,000 to set up an aquaculture facility. It drew quite a reaction from neighbors, who might not have batted an eye if he had spent the money on farm machinery.
In his area, yellow perch are a traditional meal. Tilapia is growing in popularity.
Many farmers might ask how soon they can turn a profit. McWhorter says as with all business plans, those getting into aquaculture should expect it to take five years to turn a profit. He recommends farmers look at the market to determine what type of species of fish would be best to raise. And farmers should do their homework by investing $1,000 or so at universities that have research workshops.
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