Wisconsin celebrates aquaculture
The following article from Ashland, Wisconsin’s The Daily Press, readers will get an appreciation for the diversity of the aquaculture industry in the Unites States. With a huge seafood import deficit, many U.S. fish farmers and interested companies are pushing the Obama administration to establish an enabling regulatory regime for further aquaculture development, including offshore operations;
On April 26, 2010, the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly passed a joint resolution declaring the third Saturday in July as Aquaculture Day. This resolution acknowledges aquaculture (fish farming) as an important agricultural industry in Wisconsin and having a sound environmental history using sustainable best management practices. Wisconsin currently has 2,314 registered fish farms, comprising 1,984 private farms with ponds, 125 business farms, 213 public fee fishing farms, six wholesale fish processing farms, and 95 farms processing fish for human consumption. Wisconsin's fish farmers contribute $21 million to Wisconsin's economy through live bait, fee fishing, stocking and food fish production. Wisconsin is the largest seller/producer of aquaculture products in the Midwest with their products not only supplying gamefish and bait for recreational use, but their high quality food fish are offered in some of the top restaurants and stores in the Upper Midwest.
The Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, along with member fish farms, is celebrating this day with their Third Annual Statewide Open House on Saturday, July 17. With the increase in public awareness of their food sources, the fish farmers of Wisconsin are opening their farms to the public, promoting Wisconsin aquaculture and explaining the importance of locally grown, fresh, safe fish. The fish farmers of Wisconsin are working together to encourage people to visit a local fish farm and learn firsthand about aquaculture, become more aware of the role commercial aquaculture plays in the state's economy, local communities, recreational opportunities and in providing a safe healthy food. Throughout the state, 12 fish farms will be open and include fee fishing and stocking operations, a research facility, aquaponics and others. Individual fish farms will offer free events such as farm tours, demonstrations, cooking demonstrations with recipes, and various talks. Some farms will also have fish products (fresh, smoked, and spreads) for sampling and sale or offer fee fishing — a fun time for the family and a great opportunity to buy fresh Wisconsin produced food from a local farmer. Aquaculture, or fish farming, is defined as the raising of aquatic organisms in controlled settings, and Wisconsin's private aquaculture dates back to 1856. Wisconsin fish farming is very diverse — raising trout, yellow perch, and bluegills for food; walleye, northern pike, muskie and bass for stocking, and minnows for bait. Wisconsin fish farmers take pride in providing fish that are veterinarian certified healthy and Wisconsin fish farms are Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia virus (VHS) free.
