Aquaculture is not a new concept. Japanese, Chinese, Romans, Egyptians, and Mayan Indians farmed fish for food and recreation prior to 2000 BC. Ponds were constructed and fish were raised much in the same manner as fish are raised today. Both freshwater and saltwater fish are currently raised commercially throughout the world. Other related aquatic products raised commercially are shrimp, crayfish, oysters, clams, worms, crickets, frogs, and some plants. Aquaculture is the general term used to describe the propagation and rearing of aquatic animals and plants in controlled or selected environments. Although aquaculture is increasing in popularity in this country, the vast majority of fisheries food products eaten in the United States are imported or are captured wild stocks from natural waters.

There are approximately 2.3 million farms in the United States, ranging in size from small part-time farms to very large operations. Regardless of size, all farms are a form of business and can be organized or structured in several ways. Individuals involved in the business of fish farming need to be aware of the various organizational structures available to them, including sole proprietorship, partnerships (general and limited) and corporations (regular and subchapter-S). . The specific circumstances of the fish farm business dictate which of these structures is most suitable. For example, large farms with numerous employees and a large investment requirement may find it advantageous to consider a more formalized structure, such as a corporation.

One of the barriers to the growth and development of the aquaculture industry in the 12-state North Central region is a lack of comprehensive information on the state laws and regulations that affect the industry. The North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and its advisory committees quickly recognized this problem and made it one of their highest priorities for research. Among the factors that cause the confusion are the many aspects or stages of producing and marketing aquacultural products. The long and complex chain of production, transportation and marketing may include issues such as land use planning and zoning, water pollution and state fisheries regulations, transportation requirements and food quality standards. Many public policies and a wide variety of public agencies are involved in regulating these aspects of aquacultural production and marketing.

Walleye, Stitzostedion vitreum, has potential to be an aquaculture species in the North Central Region because:

• it is native to the region;
• it maintains optimum growth at temperatures lower than many other current aquaculture species (such as channel catfish);
• it is a highly-prized sport fish;
• its flesh is considered a delicacy; and
• the fillets are high in protein and . low in fat, making walleye an attractive food selection for today’s health conscious consumer.

Salt is one of the most commonly used drugs in aquaculture. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the aspirin of aquaculture. Salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl) in its chemical form, is a drug of low regulatory priority for the United States Food & Drug Administration and requires no withdraw-d time before marketing. Many forms of salt are used, including table, meat-curing, pickling, and rock salt. Of these, the most commonly used and least expensive form is the meat-curing variety. When used properly, salt can treat many external parasites including Costia, Epistylis, Trichodina, Chilodonella, and the flukes Dactylogyrus and Gyrodactylus. Salt is used to relieve stress during handling and transport.

The North Central Region (NCR) of the U.S. aquaculture industry is growing and changing. Salmonids (salmon and trout) are among the principal fishes currently cultured in the NCR — the rainbow trout being the number one species produced commercially (NCA-23 1987). Though it is relatively small when compared to the Idaho trout industry, trout farming in the NCR adds significantly to agriculture diversity in the region and to the total national production of trout (NCA-23 1987; WASC 1988). To better assist the salmon and trout producers within the NCR, the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center (NCRAC) has established a Salmonid Research Work Group to initiate new research that will benefit the aquaculture industry. The first Work Group meeting decided that a survey of the trout and salmon producers in the 12-state NCR be initiated to document the volume of production of trout and salmon eggs and fingerlings.

Are you considering aquaculture as a new business or as a way of diversifying your existing business? If the answer to this question is yes, then you should ask yourself, "How much do I really know about aquaculture?"

There are many levels of knowledge of aquaculture - from the person who has many years experience in running a successful aquaculture operation, to the beginner who has an interest in, but really no knowledge of, what aquaculture is or involves. This publication, A Basic Overview of Aquaculture, is directed to those who have an interest in aquaculture, but who lack knowledge about it or experience in the business. The reader should note that this publication is not intended to be a complete introduction to aquaculture. It does not cover many important topics such as stocking, feeding, harvesting, transport, marketing, and others. In addition, the topics that are covered are not complete. Instead, the intention here is only to introduce some aspects of aquaculture.