Basics
Commercial Facility Based on the University of the Virgin Island’s Aquaponic System
2009-10-02
Since the 1980s, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Agricultural Experiment Station in St. Croix has been conducting research on recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Much of the UVI research is conducted using a commercial-size RAS that incorporates aquaponics. Aquaponics is the practice of growing herbs and vegetables in water from a RAS system that has fish growing ina connected tank. Through years of research, the staff at UVI has established an aquaponics RAS that is made of easily procured material and is simple and efficient to run. Using an eighth of an acre for production, the staff raises fish and produce that is sold at a farm store located on campus. The system includes four fish tanks, six hydroponic tanks and filtration tanks to support good water quality and growth for both the fish and plants.
Water Usage in Recirculating Aquaculture/Aquaponic Systems
2009-10-02
Clean water is a precious resource to be wisely utilized and conserved. Irrigation claims 70 percent of the water that we use. The excess water leaving industrial farms is often contaminated with silt, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, making it unfit for reuse.
More Ocean Fish Farms Coming to Your Island?
2009-06-18
Yet another ocean fish farm is being proposed off of the coast of the Big Island, Hawaii. Also called open ocean aquaculture or offshore aquaculture, ocean fish farming is the mass production of fish in huge, often-overcrowded net pens or cages out in open ocean waters. Indigo Seafood is seeking a lease for 80 acres in the Kawaihae area to grow Moi. They have not presented the public with the number of cages or the amount of fish that they intend to produce each year. Indigo Seafood is just another ocean fish farming operation – along with Kona Blue Water Farms, Cates International, and Hawaii Oceanic Technology, Inc. — looking to test out a new industry in Hawaii’s waters.
The Hubbs-SeaWorld Aquaculture Project: A Raw Deal
2009-05-08
The Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute — a non-profit research institute associated with the for-profit SeaWorld — is currently planning to develop the first commercial open ocean aquaculture project in federal waters, five miles off the coast of San Diego, California. Building on its fish farming enterprise in Baja California, Mexico, Hubbs-Seaworld is proposing to grow 1,000 metric tons of striped sea bass to start, with the goal to produce 3,000 metric tons of fish annually by the fifth year of operation. This is more than three times the size of the only other existing commercial offshore aquaculture facility in the United States. Although this is pitched as a pilot research project, representatives of Hubbs-Seaworld have explicitly boasted that the facility will ultimately be transferred to a for-profit business entity. Hubbs-Seaworld and the for-profit corporation would share revenue from the project. From 1998 to 2007, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute received more than $700,000 from the Department of Commerce for open ocean aquaculture research. Now, after receiving public dollars to fund its preliminary work, Hubbs-SeaWorld plans to make money off of our public fish resources.
Standards Needed for Organic Aquaculture
2008-12-10
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has been working for several years to establish organic standards for aquaculture products (farmed fish) and will be voting on a set of proposed standards after their meeting November 17-20, 2008. Although organic standards will likely never be applicable to wild fish, which in many cases may be a better choice for consumers than farmed fish, the development of USDA organic aquaculture standards could be instrumental in giving fish farmers a market they need to sustainably produce fish and shellfish. However, it is crucial that the standards be more stringent than those currently proposed, in order to protect the credibility of the “organic” label and live up to the principles of organic production intended to protect the environment and consumer health.
Do You Know What's in Your Seafood?
2008-09-02
Consumers today try to shop smarter and eat healthier. People are turning to lean and low-calorie foods to maintain a well-balanced diet, and fish are among the most popular choices to make nutritionists’ lists for meeting such requirements. Seafood is often praised as a good protein source with low saturated fats and a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to have a variety of excellent health benefits. However, not all seafood is created equal. Depending on where it is caught or raised, or how it is processed, some seafood can be contaminated with chemicals and other toxins that can be extremely harmful to consumers’ and their children’s health.
Seafood Buying Guide
2008-08-29
With so many different seafood options in markets and restaurants, how can you make choices that are best for your health, the environment and the communities that bring fish to your table? There are so many different factors to consider, choosing the right seafood can be a challenge. By asking questions and knowing what to look for and what to avoid, you can better choose seafood that is clean, green and safe. Check out Food & Water Watch’s new Seafood Substitutes Card that lists better alternatives to common, but potentially harmful, seafood choices. This guide can explain why certain choices are recommended and help you ask the right questions to make informed decisions.
Ocean Fish Farming Can Hurt Consumers and the Environment
2008-07-10
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are federal bodies that make decisions about fishing in U.S. waters. Right now they are finishing a plan to allow the growing of fish in huge floating cages out in our Gulf waters. This is called “ocean fish farming,” “open ocean aquaculture,” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it could cause serious problems for both consumers and the environment.
Ocean Fish Farming Can Hurt Commercial Fishing
2008-07-09
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service are federal bodies that make decisions about fishing in U.S. waters. Right now they are finishing a plan to allow the growing of fish in huge floating cages out in our Gulf waters. This is called “ocean fish farming,” “open ocean aquaculture,” or “offshore aquaculture.” Whatever the name, it could cause serious problems for commercial fishermen.
Yuck! Harmful Aquaculture Chemicals and Waste
2008-05-15
Yuck! Weak Regulatory Structure Allows Harmful Aquaculture Chemicals and Waste to Slip Through, May 2008.
Fact Sheets
Reports
- Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture Systems — This report, Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture ...
- Fishy Farms Updates — Since the initial release of Fishy Farms in Octobe ...
- Fish Story — After a series of safety scares about imported sea ...
- Fishy Farms — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ...
- Import Alert — The Food and Drug Administration oversees the safe ...