FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FTA Activities
Integrated agricultural projects in Latin America and elsewhere
include fish farming
10 February 2008--Developing nations all
over the world now more than ever appreciate the value of aquaculture and fish
in a fully integrated approach to farming. Given their propensity for very
low ratios of feed to final product (i.e., very efficient feed conversion), producing
so-called cold-blooded animals such as fish is the most efficient way to turn
plant materials and agricultural byproducts into high-quality protein.
Integrated agriculture seeks to fully
utilize locally available inputs, and then "recycle" potential wastes to the
greatest degree possible as raw materials for other agricultural processes.
This highly efficient approach can make agriculture economically feasibility at
locations where it might not otherwise be possible or prudent.
Fisheries Technology Associates is
partnering with a Kansas agricultural biotechnology and biofuels company to
incorporate fish farming in an overall strategy to fully utilize wastes and
byproducts on the farm. The first application of this marriage of
convenience will be in Mexico, where the production of agricultural products and
agriculturally based fuels will include the production of locally important
fishes. Unlike other international fish production initiatives, none of
the fish will be exported. Instead, all of the production will be consumed
locally, for the benefit of nearby residents.
The concept includes the production of
algae, which will serve as a high-protein feed ingredient and potential raw
material for the production of biofuels.
The first project is currently planned for
Argentina in spring 2008, with subsequent projects slated for several locations
in Panama, India, Pakistan, and elsewhere.
Marine finfish production has a bright future in
Mexico
6 December 2007--As
aquaculture around the world matures, more emphasis and interest is placed and
focused on species never before reared in aquaculture environments. Such
is the case in Mexico's Baja Peninsula.
With a tropical climate and plentiful
offshore resources, Baja California is becoming a Mecca for fish and shellfish
production. Most important, the Mexican government is keenly interested in
attracting aquaculture investment to the region.
Fisheries Technology Associates is
assisting a client in the development of marine fish production in southern
Baja. While still in its early stages, the goal of the project is to
determine which species are best suited for production as foodfish, and then
expand the scope of the project to include actual production. In
particular, species that are not now widely known by the consuming public, or
species that now command high prices in the marketplace but are sourced only
from wild populations, will be viewed most closely during the initial stages of
the project.
A list of candidate species will soon be
developed and then refined as the project moves forward.
Sunrise/sunset lighting control: the best way to grow
fish
1 May 2007--Indoor production and
maintenance can be stressful for fish--particularly when indoor environmental
conditions differ from those in the wild. Temperature is often considered
the most important factor in satisfying the needs of fish in artificial systems.
This component of the environment is extremely important, but light quality,
depending on the circumstances, can be just as important.
Fish that live in temperate and northerly
latitudes use day length as an important environmental cue. While day
length is less variable at tropical latitudes, tropical fish species are equally
sensitive to changes in light intensity.
Experts and casual aquarists alike
understand the consequences of rapid changes in light intensity. "Instant
on" lights can cause chaos in an otherwise sedate indoor aquatic system.
Fish become frightened and often injure themselves as they collide with flat
surfaces, or even try to launch themselves out of the tank.
The answer to this situation is artificial
sunrise/sunset lighting control. For the past 10 years, Fisheries
Technology Associates has offered lighting control circuitry that simulates
sunrise and sunset. The effects on fish are very positive and immediate.
After a recent re-design of the circuit it now works better than ever.
For more information, visit our
Lighting Systems web site page.
Yellow perch continue to make a splash
15 April 2007--New interest in the production of
yellow perch is emerging in the upper Midwest of the U.S.
Yellow perch captured from the wild, principally from the
Great Lakes, have been a mainstay of fish consumption in the region for well
over a century. Indeed, efforts to produce yellow perch on farms have been
underway for more than 30 years. During this time, producers have
experienced varying degrees of success.
Despite continuing technical challenges, interest in
increasing the supply of farmed yellow perch has never diminished. Why?
The answer is clear: an undisputed huge demand. By most estimates, the
demand for yellow today is on the order of 35 million pounds per year (about 8
million pounds are supplied from capture fisheries), and could exceed 100
million pounds if the history of other aquacultured species such as catfish is
repeated.
Fisheries Technology Associates is a leader in the
transfer of technology for the production of yellow perch. Company
president, Bill Manci, has a long history with this species (30 years) and is
confident that yellow perch will emerge as a principle aquaculture species here
in the U.S. "The demand is undeniable. Whenever demand of this
magnitude emerges, American entrepreneurs find a way to meet that demand.
We intend to aid and facilitate development in this important aquaculture
arena," Manci stated.
FTA currently is assisting clients in developing yellow
perch production businesses at two locations in Indiana and Michigan.
Pending the outcome of feasibility analysis and business planning activities,
production could begin during the next 4-12 months.
Fish meal and fish oil replacement may spur future aquaculture
development
13 December 2006--The supply of fish
meal as a protein source in feeds for finfish and shellfish is always in
question. Climatic conditions such as El Niño, as well as steadily
increasing demand for fish meal from other segments of agriculture, are
responsible for significant swings in fish meal supplies and prices. These
fluctuations trickle down to feed manufacturers and can substantially impact
costs and cash flow and the predictability of costs and profits.
Environmentalists have long claimed that it
makes little sense to feed fish (i.e., fish meal) to fish. The
sustainability of this practice is in question, given the worldwide surge in
aquaculture production and the long-term prospects for human population and
meeting the nutritional needs of that population.
An alternative to fish meal and fish oil--an algal-based
replacement--holds the promise to dramatically reduce the demand by aquaculture
for fish meal and oil. Fisheries Technology Associates is assisting its client in
evaluating and quantifying the market and developing a game plan to move
forward.
During the next six to eight weeks, we will
work with our client to reach reasoned conclusions about the marketplace.
By most accounts, the future for this product and others like it is bright.
For more information,
contact:
Fisheries Technology Associates, Inc.
Telephone:
970-225-0150
E-mail:
info@ftai.com
High-Performance Aquaculture, Fish Farming,
and Fisheries Services
