Aquaculture Development in the Pine Mountain Region of Southeast Kentucky

2004 Annual Report for CS04-025

Project Type: Sustainable Community Innovation
Funds awarded in 2004: $10,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2005
Region: Southern
State: Kentucky
Principal Investigator:
Paul Pratt
Southeast Community College

Aquaculture Development in the Pine Mountain Region of Southeast Kentucky

Summary

In accordance with the proposal objectives, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) initiated a series of community focus meetings to discuss the long term potential of aquaculture in the region of Southeast Kentucky. In addition to SKCTC personnel, participants included: cooperative extension agents from Bell and Harlan County, teachers and students from two local high schools, college students, county judge office agents, Kentucky State University personnel, an agent from the KY Department of Agriculture, and local citizens. A core team developed from the meeting conducted one marketing visit to a seafood processor in Louisville, KY, to assess market potential.

In collaboration with this initiative, Leadership Harlan County United (LHCU), a community non-profit leadership organization, adopted sustainable development as its theme for the 2004 and 2005 year-long academies. As a team project, LHCU students provided the public relations announcements to the community and prepared brochures to attendees.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objectives for this aquaculture initiative are to 1) collaboratively work with officials and Cooperative Extension Agents in three counties to produce a regional strategic plan for aquaculture; 2) identify a network of at least 10 entrepreneurs who may produce more than 15,000 pounds of fish a year.; 3) explore the feasibility of a cooperatively owned processing facility to add value to the fish; 4) complete a marketing study for locally produced fish; and 5) identify sources of capital to facilitate individual development of farms.

Objectives:
1) Convene meetings to formulate strategic plan for aquaculture. The meetings are ongoing and the plan is still under development.

2)Identify ten entrepreneurs as potential producers. The success of this goal has been limited. Two entrepreneurs in Harlan County have expressed interest in developing their own operations, but will work in the SKCTC center as a business incubator for the first year. A third farmer from Letcher county is developing simultaneously.

3) Explore the feasibility of a cooperatively owned processing facility. The group is in ongoing discussions with an independent processor to handle processing needs. In view of the limited response from farmers, the joint processor has recieved mixed response.

4) Completion of Marketing Study. Students from SKCTC have complete calls to local markets and have concluded that tere is a significant demand for aquaculture products.

Accomplishments/Milestones

The project is ongoing and will continue beyond the grant period. The major accomplishments to-date are the collaboration among local participants, the exposure to state agencies, and the interest from potential markets. Two recent articles have been published on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture web site promoting aquaculture at our organization. A link to the most recent article follows: http://www.kyagr.com/news_events/blackmountaintrout.htm. Marketing contacts have indicated a substantial demand for products in the state park system, local ponds, restaurants, and for regional export to a processor for value-adding.

The initiative is limited by local capacity, both by the economic constraints and by the ability of SKCTC to provide the operation and maintenance of the aquaculture learning center.