Farm-Raised Fish Operation

[CrealCritter]

Catfish are very good eating. People all across the South love fried catfish. There are catfish restuarants where fried catfish is served, with hush puppies and French fries.

I don't care much for catfish anymore. I loved it when I was younger. But I still like grits, can I still be a southerner anyways?

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I don't know. Do you like Okra?

 

[CrealCritter]

I don't know. Do you like Okra?

Does a bear crap in the woods? Of course I like okra.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

You're definitely not a Yankee, then.

 

[CrealCritter]

Yins are making me hungry. I have a pot of ham beans on the stove and cornbread in the oven.

 

[CrealCritter]

Let's see...….. you admit to eating catfish...….you like grits......you like okra...….and you are cooking ham beans and cornbread. That's sounding pretty darn near Southern to me...… Yep, you can be a Southerner!

👍

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

The son and I had a really good thought-provoking discussion last week. About five years ago, while he was in high school, he helped author, submit, and get approval for a grant to build a hydroponics lab, including including raising fish in the system. I think he is "eyeing" utilizing an acre or so of any new property. LOL. I don't have an issue with this. He seems very interested in the fish raising portion of this. He did get the school set up installed and running, including visiting several fish farms that provide young fish for pond/lake stocking.

Setting aside any regulations, permits, etc., I am looking for thoughts from all of you as to viability?

My initial questions revolve around the marketing of this? Would people buy locally raised fish? Specific species? How would you sell? Whole live fish, just the filets? We have multiple local farmers markets where he could have customers place orders, so we wouldn't necessarily need a store front - although there is a nice former store not far from here with a sales building and about 10 acres of land.

If we could make this work, I think it might be a nice retirement hobby for me. LOL

I agree about raising local fish. I can't really provide any specific species, I believe that depends on what season you'll start.. no need for a storefront, If you're knowledgeable about online advertisements, clients will notify you. my husband's father started raising fish as a hobby about 10 years ago. and they find it extremely lucrative.

 

[baymule]

I would start small, find your customers and grow from there. Check with the USDA on food handling also. You might need specific permits, liscense, etc.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That sounds really interesting. I know nothing about it - but I'd prefer to buy local than anything imported. Since your son already has experience with it - it could definitely be worth trying. Agree with starting small.

 

[flowerbug]

what is the climate like? heating/cooling and water supply? feed stock for the fish? location or siting would be important if you are going to try to use stream/river water and also there are going to be regulations about what can be released. also, with other recent problems with imported fish being released and becoming huge issues you may need to really figure out how to use local fish species instead of something exotic.

cleaning fish isn't something you really want to do in the middle of summer and some people don't ever want to do it period. the results though are some prime fertilizer for gardeners. how you manage that waste stream is critical.

at the other end. feeding. you can raise a lot of insects for not much and some people make a lot of money doing this for other hobbyists who are raising reptiles, etc.

worms are an excellent other source of potential income and also feed source.

crustaceans. mud bugs. shrimps. yum...

what you can raise as feed (greens, bugs, crustaceans and other fish) may all work together very nicely.

to me the big thing would be what the temperatures and water supplies are like.