Marine Aquaculture (FISH 6215)

• Marine Aquaculture Course - View or download course description, syllabus, and class project
• Lectures - View or download lecture slides
• Exams - View or download past exams

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture.  It’s popularity and success as an investment opportunity and a means of diversifying farming operations have resulted in a growing interest among traditional agriculture producers and others.

Fishery products are a chief source of protein globally. Some estimates indicate 20 percent of the world’s protein is derived from fish. In 2003, per capita seafood consumption in the U.S. was at a record level of 16.3 pounds. Domestic production is not able to meet the U.S. demand for seafood and as a result the U.S. had a $7.8 billion trade deficit of eatable seafood in 2003 with imports totaling 75 percent of the total consumed. The increasing demand for seafood in the United States will not likely be met through commercial harvests. Furthermore, competition from imported seafood and limiting catch to sustainable levels is leading to a decline in the number of commercial fishers in the north central Gulf of Mexico.   

Integrated land-based and offshore aquaculture offers a partial solution for meeting the demand of imported seafood and the creation of jobs for the commercial fishing industry.  The U.S. aquaculture industry is valued at approximately $1 billion in products annually from fresh and saltwater farms and employs approximately 200,000 people.  The total value of aquaculture (farm and non-farm) is valued at approximately $6 billion.  There is a large job multiplier effect from aquaculture with approximately 6 non-farm jobs for every 1 farm job.  All of the current U.S. aquaculture production is either based on inland or near-shore marine operations.  

To be successful aquaculture producers must have the ability to make a reasonable assessment of aquaculture enterprise opportunities and limitations including current breeding, feeding, water quality, and production technologies.   

This course will introduce students to techniques in marine aquaculture with emphasis in the areas of nutrition and feeding, reproductive biology, production techniques, water quality requirements, processing, marketing, and economics of commercially important marine aquaculture species.  This course is also designed to assist students develop their problem solving and communication skills.  

The goal of the course is to increase the student’s technical training in marine aquaculture.  After completing this course every student should be able to master the following objectives:

1. Explain the primary water chemistry parameters and water quality management strategies required to maintain health.
2. Recognize how to select an aquaculture site and explain the differences in construction techniques, and yields from levee ponds, cages, raceways, and recirculating aquaculture systems.
3. Describe the life histories (reproductive, nutritional and environmental) and production strategies for 10 species of food, bait, and ornamental marine species with the greatest aquaculture potential.
4. Identify 10 marine fish, shellfish or crustaceans diseases and be able to prescribe appropriate treatments for each.
5. Operation of an algae culture systems for first feeding of oysters.