Status of US & Wisconsin Aquaculture/Aquaponics

Transcription

1 Status of US & Wisconsin Aquaculture/Aquaponics Chris Hartleb University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility Aquaponics Innovation Center

2 What will it take for aquaculture in the U.S., North Central Region & Wisconsin to be highly successful? Opportunities Challenges Needs

3 Opportunities Global demand Global aquaculture 2012 Value USD $ billion Volume 66.5 million tons 2019 Forecast Value USD $ billion Volume increase of 2.3% annually 2030 Forecast Value USD $330 billion

4 World Production 67% of global production is from inland (mainly) freshwater systems (2 out of 3 farms)

5 Sustainability & Value-added

6 Challenges Global competition 87% of global production is by Asia 56% of global production is by China Cheap labor Available natural resources Adaptation to meet need

7 Economics Capital investment Profit potential Pond & flow-through = lower costs Recirculating & indoor = high cost Economy of scale Ability to compete Superior Fresh, Northfield, WI

8 Regulatory environment Permitting Confusion Costly Difficult Global vs National Trends

9 US Trends US consumers reasons for not eating seafood: Taste preference Affordability Negative message from media Consumer choice for information Media (30%) Internet (14%) Health newsletter (9%) Physicians (9%)

10 Needs 2014 NCR Aquaculture Needs Survey Top 3 impediments

11 Priority Species

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13 Aquaponics Integrated & soilless Free of biocides Conservative use of water, space & labor Produces both vegetable & protein crop Continuous year-round production Meets socio-economic challenges Urban, peri-urban, rural Locavore movement

14 Who s Growing using Aquaponics? Love, Fry, Li, Hill, Genello, Simmons & Thompson Commercial aquaponics production and profitability: Findings from an international survey. Aquaculture 435:67-74.

15 How Many is That? Limited survey response Most likely underestimated number and location

16 Scalable: Types of Aquaponics Hobby and Home food production Farmers market food production Social & Community systems Commercial food production Education Research

17 Aquaculture North America January/February 2018 Trends driving the seafood sector Climate change impact Controlled environment agriculture Shortage of food High density farming Product globalization and internet sales Health conscious consumers Locavore

18 Economics Still difficult to get loans/funding for startup and expansion Banks want proven success No consistent data available for aquaponics Too new Diverse Unique Next wave of ecopreneurs hopes to find key to making aquaponics profitable = 3 Foreign imports 90% U.S. seafood imported Trade deficit $11.2 billion 2-3% inspected

19 Challenges Zoning & permitting Loans Proven, large-scale, commercial operations; Not subsidized Competition (market) Organic Diversification of crops (fish & plants) Nursery provider Out-of-season Indoor production of fry Biosecurity risk Diseases (fish & plant) Science-based education

20 More Challenges Proven economic viability Multidisciplinary knowledge: Enthusiasm > knowledge STEAM (science, technology, engineering, agriculture & math) Fish & plant biology; microbiology; environmental, mechanical & civil engineering; computer science; economics, finance & marketing Fish-plant couples Similar environmental & nutrient conditions Should diminish pollution & need for resources 10-20% water use compared to field agriculture