Aquaculture

[blondfish]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to put this but wasn't sure where else to post it.

As a future career, I'm thinking about getting into aquaculture, primarily so help sustain native populations of fish like inanga, longfin eels etc.

So, the point of this thread is that I'm curious if any members on this forum are in the industry and I'm interested in what sort of things this career involves.

Thanks

[Fruju]

Heya I'm keen on aquaculture also, I've been working this summer at the Bream Bay NIWA aquaculture facility for experience while I complete my studies. Unfortunately your idea of sustaining native populations would be difficult to realise; unless the venture has commercial interests you rely on govt funding which is hard to obtain. Aquaculture needs high capital and getting land/coastal space is difficult; and MPI is not favourable to releasing farmed/domesticated fish back into the wild for fear of introducing disease and the like.

Hope this helps, sorry if it sounds negative haha but it is a great industry I think.

[blondfish]

Heya I'm keen on aquaculture also, I've been working this summer at the Bream Bay NIWA aquaculture facility for experience while I complete my studies. Unfortunately your idea of sustaining native populations would be difficult to realise; unless the venture has commercial interests you rely on govt funding which is hard to obtain. Aquaculture needs high capital and getting land/coastal space is difficult; and MPI is not favourable to releasing farmed/domesticated fish back into the wild for fear of introducing disease and the like.

Hope this helps, sorry if it sounds negative haha but it is a great industry I think.

Na, you're algoods

What type of aquaculture are you working with? Is it marine?

Thank you for the information, I wasn't aware of how hard it can be.

I remember reading several articles about the government setting up whitebait breeding facilities around the country, which was what first made me want to get into the industry. I'll see if I can find the links........

This isn't the exact link I was looking for, but its pretty close to what I was looking for. http://www.fishing.net.nz/Waste-into-whitebait/

[alexyay]

:nilly: it would be an awesome industry to get into - I hate being a student, got so many qualifications to get before I do anything

[livingart]

Have you inquired with the polytech

[blondfish]

Have you inquired with the polytech

No, I have not. I was hoping to get some basic information before I did that

[livingart]

The aquaculture industry for natives is still in the research stage.

Growing them on is relativity easy but spawning and getting them post larval is difficult

[blondfish]

The aquaculture industry for natives is still in the research stage.

Growing them on is relativity easy but spawning and getting them post larval is difficult

Hmm, I guess so.

Mind you, I'm still in school so hopefully by the time I get into the job it will be much more advanced and succesful.

[Fruju]

At the facility I am working at we are primarily working with Hapuka and Kingfish; mainly with the puka at the moment, trying to improve the quality and consistency of eggs to produce family lines that would be ideal for starting a commercial project. The big broodstock Hapuka are about 34kg and the largest kingies are 42kg/1.5m, quite cool feeding them haha. There is also a growth study of NZ king salmon currently going on, and a long-term project investigating paddle crab pheromones.

Yeah, pretty much need a Masters degree to get anywhere tbh, although you can get experience at the BOP polytechnic I think.

Not really any work being done where I am at with whitebait/natives so I don't pretend to know that much about them, still going to need an extensive facility, and I don't think there is a large market for them internationally. If you're interested in farming natives you could look at the Mahurangi institute which does more of that sort of thing, they also do kinda 'skills'/'certificate' courses for preliminary techniques.

[blondfish]

At the facility I am working at we are primarily working with Hapuka and Kingfish; mainly with the puka at the moment, trying to improve the quality and consistency of eggs to produce family lines that would be ideal for starting a commercial project. The big broodstock Hapuka are about 34kg and the largest kingies are 42kg/1.5m, quite cool feeding them haha. There is also a growth study of NZ king salmon currently going on, and a long-term project investigating paddle crab pheromones.

Yeah, pretty much need a Masters degree to get anywhere tbh, although you can get experience at the BOP polytechnic I think.

Not really any work being done where I am at with whitebait/natives so I don't pretend to know that much about them, still going to need an extensive facility, and I don't think there is a large market for them internationally. If you're interested in farming natives you could look at the Mahurangi institute which does more of that sort of thing, they also do kinda 'skills'/'certificate' courses for preliminary techniques.

Sorry, completely stupid question, but a masters in what?

Thank you for the information! It is very helpful!

[Fruju]

Well, you can do your masters in whatever you like, probably good to do it in something related to aquaculture though. I will do mine in Marine Biology, maybe looking at a nutritional study of finfish...but I haven't decided yet. Ends up being 5 years of study minimum (3 years Bsc, 1 year Post-grad diploma, 1 year masters project).