LONDON, Ohio — Visitors to the Farm Science Review (FSR) will have the opportunity to dip their toes in the watery topic of aquaculture during two presentations by Laura Tiu, aquaculture specialist with The Ohio State University.

Tiu will present two sessions related to aquaculture on Sept. 20, at the Center for Small Farms during the FSR. The first session, Getting Started in Aquaculture, will be at 1 p.m. During the presentation, Tiu will discuss the history of aquaculture, types of systems and species of fish that can be raised in Ohio.

“Aquaculture has been around for a while, but we have really seen growth in the industry in the last 10 years,” she said. “We have grown from about $1.2 (million) to $10 million in sales over the past decade.”

Tiu said ponds are still the most popular systems for aquaculture, but indoor tank systems are becoming more common and some producers also use cage systems. She added at least 20 different species of fish can be raised in Ohio. She will discuss several of those species in her presentation.

Tiu will also discuss the importance of putting together a business plan. “A business plan is important because this is a capital intensive business,” she said. “It is a high-risk business, we want to help people figure out if it fits for them. They need to start on a small scale and let their market develop.”

Because the industry is still in a fingerling state and producers may feel like they are on their own, Tiu will also discuss the resources that are available, including the university and groups such as the Ohio Aquaculture Assoc.

Her second presentation will be on the Spotfin Shiner, a relatively new species to aquaculture in Ohio. The Spotfin Shiner had been identified as a good fish for the state during research under an Ohio Sea Grant project; however, it was put on the back burner until fairly recently, when scientists were looking at developing another source of baitfish.

“We think there are good markets for this fish in Ohio, particularly as baitfish,” Tiu said. About 98 percent of the baitfish used in Ohio are imported from other states.

Emerald Shiners are a popular type of baitfish on Lake Erie, but they are not a schooling type of fish and tend to head to the bottom of the lake when the weather gets warm. They also do not respond well during a full moon, so at certain times of the season, there is a shortage of baitfish in Ohio.

Another challenge is increased fuel costs to bring baitfish into Ohio from other states, such as Arkansas. Tiu said it is the major source of baitfish for states such as Ohio. Also, the discovery of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever in fish in the Great Lakes have made it illegal to import fish across state lines, which limits the available supply of baitfish.

These two things open up the opportunities for producers to develop the baitfish industry in Ohio. The Spotfin Shiners are the same size and shape as the Emerald Shiners, and they appeal to the same types of fish, so Ohio offers a good market for Spotfin Shiners.

Spotfin Shiners are native to Ohio and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved them. Tiu said the state’s aquaculture industry has received tremendous support from the Ohio Department of Agriculture and DNR.

“We can grow everything they can grow in Arkansas here in Ohio,” she said. “The difference is that they have a longer growing season.”

Tiu added the baitfish market is a new, but growing, market. Raising fish for consumers is another growing market, while fish for stocking ponds is a stable one. She said the type of market producers decide to enter depends on their resources and their goals.

She said while demand is growing for locally raised fish, the downside is it still costs more to produce it than to import it.

“There is a steep learning curve and not a lot of local resources for farmers,” she said. “We are a new industry; we don’t have the infrastructure they have in larger, more established industries.”

Tiu added that about 10-15 new producers get started every year.

“A lot of people want a cookie-utter approach,” she said. “But each situation is unique, with unique issues. It takes a lot of dedication and willingness to develop a market and work through the learning process.”