Location: Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit
Project Number: 6066-31000-016-013-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2015
End Date: Jun 30, 2020
Objective:
To investigate and solve problems pertaining to aquaculture operations in the Mississippi hill area, including issues related to: production efficiency, operational procedures (i.e., improving growth and reducing stress and disease) and water quality. Further, to provide species diversification options for greater long-term economic stability.
Approach:
The project will be designed to resolve issues of importance to the Eastern Mississippi aquaculture industry in the areas of production efficiency, environmental and disease-related stress, reproduction and water quality by conducting experiments in the laboratory and in research ponds at the Thad Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center (NWAC) Eastern Research Unit, on commercial farms, and in collaboration with the NWAC Delta Research Unit in Stoneville, MS. Improvement of aquaculture practices based on an understanding of operational and environmental stressors will be developed. Research on catfish reproduction and the use of hybrid catfish (female channel catfish x male blue catfish) will be conducted to reduce loss of fish during the grow-out process, and research on the culture of alternative species will be conducted to improve market stability. Further, because aquaculture ponds in Eastern Mississippi rely on primarily surface water and are deeper than conventional pond-designs used in the Mississippi Delta, an understanding of the unique water quality influences to this region are important.
