Project Number: 6402-31630-001-01
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 17, 2002
End Date: Mar 31, 2007

Objective:
Develop feeds and feeding practices for optimal nutrition, increased production, and improved water quality of pond-raised catfish; Increase the reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of catfish fry production through the use of new and improved technologies; Apply engineering approaches to design new or modified live aquatic animal harvesting equipment; Increase the reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of catfish production through the use of new and improved culture system technologies.

Approach:
Content and sources of protein and carbohydrate in traditional catfish diets will be manipulated to measure economic performance of diet. The effects of interactions among fish size and feeding schedule on economic performance of catfish farming will be measured. New nursery pond management strategies, nitrogen and phosphorous fertilization rates, and zooplankton supplementation will be analyzed to improve fry growth and survival on commercial farms. An induced electrical field will be incorporated into a seine to test harvest efficiency. Partitioned aquaculture systems will be developed and tested for utility on commercial farms. An environmental management system will be developed for pond aquaculture consisting of proven or easily implemented technologies to improve catfish production efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and conserve water.