Increasing economic and environmental sustainability of aquaculture production systems through aquatic plant culture

2005 Annual Report for LNE05-224

Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2005: $159,309.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2008
Matching Federal Funds: $27,723.00
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $88,044.00
Region: Northeast
State: Maryland
Project Leader:
Andrew Lazur
University of Maryland Ctr. for Environmental Sci.

Increasing economic and environmental sustainability of aquaculture production systems through aquatic plant culture

Summary

This project will provide aquaculture farmers in the Northeast with several mechanisms and milestones to become informed and implement a new alternative crop with minimal infrastructure requirements yet higher returns than typical foodfish species currently produced. To maximize the number of potential beneficiaries and subsequent application on farms, various project activities of workshops, training and pilot scale research systems, will address the three most common production systems used in Northeast fish aquaculture; raceways, recirculating tanks and ponds. In each of the three systems aquatic plant integration can be accomplished through simple addition of low-cost shallow (6-8 inches of water) plant channels made from either lumber or concrete block and pond liner material. Aquatic plants will be floated within these raceways using a raft system. Water flow through the plant raceways is minimal to allow for maximum nutrient absorption by aquatic plants. Several plant species will be evaluated including those for food, ornamental water gardens and species used for mitigation or restoration applications.

As part of the first project milestone, a market survey of the three plant markets will be conducted in year one and will identify specific plant species with strong demand, current market price and suitability to the growing conditions that exist for the three aquaculture production systems. Once completed, the second milestone will offer three workshops, one each in Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia will be conducted to educate farmers on details of the aquatic plant industry, the types of market outlets (food, ornamental and restoration), how plants can be marketed, what plants offer the greatest desired benefits of growth, nutrient uptake and market value, plant propagation requirement and techniques, possible integration applications with aquaculture systems, and effluent treatment benefits.

A key element of the third project milestone is the production and economic evaluation of three pilot scale research systems integrating aquatic plant culture: trout raceways, recirculating tank system for production of Tilapia and striped bass, and pond system used in baitfish production. Each pilot scale research systems will be operated for one plant growing season, which will vary depending on the species and its water temperature preference. Plant and fish growth, water quality, treatment effluent nutrient (total phosphorus and total nitrogen) concentration, and cost of operation will be monitored and used in the development of an economic analysis presented to farmers at a series of second training workshops. Individual technical support will be provided to farmers through one on one farm visits to develop implementation plans and will continue through one growing season to monitor and assess project outcomes.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Of the 420 aquaculture producers in the Northeast who utilize either raceways, ponds or recirculating systems and are included in project activities, 15 will implement aquatic plant culture in their operations reducing nutrient concentration in culture system effluent and increasing farm income through sales of plants. By adding aquatic plant component to their operations, farmers will benefit by: a) wisely utilizing nutrients from aquaculture effluent typically considered a liability, but instead will serve as fertilizer for aquatic plants; b) increase farm diversity by the additional sales of marketable aquatic plants which in turn will; c) increase farm sales and enhance profitability, especially since aquatic plants achieve a greater profit margin than foodfish; d) reduce the off-farm nutrient discharge thereby being more environmentally sustainable; and e) produce plant species that are used for food, ornamentals in water gardens or in mitigation projects in urban or construction areas.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Milestone 1, development of a market survey to determine: a)plant species demand and prices for ornamental, restoration/mitigation, and food markets; and b)plant species suitability for each of the three production systems and growing conditions, has been completed. Plants to be used in the three university demonstration sites are as follows: a) the West Virginia University trout raceway system will utilize water cress, a cold tolerant food species; b)the Delaware State University baitfish pond system will utilize several common plants with both ornamental and mitiagtion market potentail: iris, carex and decadon and; c) the University of Maryland striped bass recirculating tank system will grow brackish-water restoration species, Spartina and hibiscus.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Other than the plant market survey being completed, no additional outcomes have been achieved to date. The first series of educational workshops are scheduled for January 21,2006 in West Virginia (http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/temp/06aguafrma.pdf), and March 2, 2006 for the combined Delaware/Maryland workshop (302-857-6456). The three pilot production systems are due for completion in March/April with initiation of fish and plant culture to start immediatley after system set up.

Collaborators:

Dennis McIntosh

dmcintosh@desu.edu
Assistant Professor/ Extension Specialist
Delaware State University
1200 N. DuPont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
Office Phone: 3028576456
Roger Viadero

rcviadero@mail.wvu.edu
Assistant Professor
West Virginia University
647 Engineering Science Bldg
P.O. Box 6103
Morgantown, WV 26506
Office Phone: 3042933031
Kenneth Semmens

ken.semmens@mail.wvu.edu
Associate Professor/Extension Speacialist
West Virginia University
P.O. Box 6108
Agricultural Sciences Bldg, Room 1052
Morgantown, WV 26506-6108
Office Phone: 3042936131
Todd West

tpwest@mail.wvu.edu
Assistant Professor
West Virginia University
Plant and Soil Sciences
P.O. Box 6108
Morgantown, WV 26506
Office Phone: 3042936023
Karen Buzby

karen.buzby@mail.wvu.edu
Post-Doc Fellow
West Virginia University
Civil and Environmental Engineering
P.O. Box 6103
Morgantown, WV 26506
Office Phone: 3042933031
Dick Shuck

dick@marylandaquatic.com
Owner
Maryland Aqautic Nurseries
3427 North Furnace Road
Jarretsville, MD 21084
Office Phone: 4105577615
Website: www.marylandaquatic.com