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Effective business planning can be the key to your success. A business plan can help you secure finance, prioritise your efforts and evaluate opportunities. It may initially seem like a lot of work; however a well prepared business plan can save you time and money in the long run.

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Before you write your business plan

Before writing your business plan, honestly evaluate yourself and decide if your business idea has a good chance of success. Analysis can help you anticipate any challenges you may face and help you overcome them. It can also help you set the goals for your business in your business plan.

Things to consider before writing your business plan:

Analyse your business idea - Is your business idea viable? Is there a market for your proposed product or service? Is your business idea worth investing your time and money into?

Analyse yourself - Are you ready to venture into business? Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do you have the skills needed to run your business successfully? Are you ready to put in the hard work?

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How to develop your business plan | business.gov.au

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Before you write your business plan Before writing your business plan, honestly evaluate yourself and decide if your business idea has a good chance of success. Analysis can help you anticipate any challenges you may face and help you overcome them. It can also help you set the goals for your business in your business plan.

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Commercial and small scale catfish farming business is gaining popularity day by day. There are numerous catfish species available throughout the world.

Among those species, some are very large in size and some species are smaller. Nowadays catfish are highly available in the market and most of the people love this fish on their table.

Although the number of catfish in natural water resources is reducing due to numerous reasons. Lack of natural living place and fishing in a plenty are the most common reason for reducing the number of catfish species.

But now people are becoming interested in catfish farming and establishing large or small scale catfish farm commercially.

If you like fish farming business, then you can also stock and manage catfish in your pond.

Advantages of Catfish Farming

There are numerous advantages or benefits of starting a catfish farming business. Here we are trying to describe the top advantages of this business.

Growing catfish is not a new business idea. It's an established business and many people are already doing this business.

Raising catfish is very easy and simple, even the beginners can also raise them.

If you have an unused small pond, tank or any other such water resource, then you can stock some catfish in it.

Demand of catfish is good in the market. And the price is also good.

You don't have to worry much about marketing your products. Because catfish already has an established market.

You don't have to invest much for starting this business. You can even start in your small water source.

It's a profitable business, so you can start commercial production.

Commercial catfish production can be a very good employment source, especially for the unemployed educated people.

Catfish is nutritious and a good source of protein. And you can enjoy fresh catfish if you start growing your own.

How to Start Catfish Farming

Starting small scale or commercial catfish production business is very easy and simple. Even the beginners can also raise them.

Although, there are some steps for starting this fish farming business, which are shortly described below.

Pond Selection for Catfish Farming

Pond selection play a very important role for maintaining a successful catfish farming business. Before selecting the pond for catfish farming, you have to consider the followings.

The selected pond must have to be free from flood.

Shore of the pond will be strong enough and free from all types of licks and hole.

All fish will escape from the pond if there are any hole in the pond shore.

Water depth will not be more than 4 feet during rainy season.

It will be better if you construct oblong pond instead of squire pond.

Construct the pond in an open area, so that the sunlight can directly incur.

Pond Management

Catfish can be cultivated in both new and old pond. But it will be better if you cultivate catfish in an old pond. If you want to use new pond, then you have to use fertilizers such as dung, lime etc.

Applying fertilizer after constructing the pond will make the soil fertile. If the soil of your pond is not fertile, then it will hamper the health and proper growth of fish.

In case of cultivating in old pond, dry the pond perfectly before stocking catfish. Remove excessive clay and harmful gas before stocking. After that apply lime and other fertilizers.

Cover a certain area with pond where you will stock the minnow for first time. Covering the place with net will prevent the fish from some harmful predators such as frog and snakes.

Snakes harm a lot than frogs. Fill the pond with fresh water (2 - 3 feet water depth for first time), after making the fence . Stock minnow after 2 to 3 days of filling the pond.

Minnow

After completing all pond management tasks, stock high quality catfish minnow. Purchase 2 to 3 inch size minnow from the hatchery.

There are many hatcheries available who are producing high quality, diseases free and highly productive catfish minnow.

Apply anti fungus medicines in the pond, after 2 or 3 days of stocking minnow. This will help to keep the minnow free from all types of diseases.

Minnow Density

You can use your pond for cultivating only catfish or with other fish species. If you cultivate catfish with other carp fish, then the stocking density will be at most 2500 to 3000 per acre.

You can increase the number, if you cultivate only catfish in a pond. You can cultivate catfish with other fish species such as tilapia fish, pangash etc. You can stock 4000-5000 catfish if you cultivate with pangash or tilapa.

Cultivating catfish with carp fish, tilapia or pangash will help to reduce the feeding costs. Catfish will eat the food provided for carp fish from the bottom of the pond, along with consuming their regular feed.

The main benefit of catfish farming with carp fish is that, this mixed system help to reduce the quantity of ammonia gas from the pond and ensure a healthy environment for all fish species.

Feed Management

Provide 20% of feed daily for the first 10 days, according to the body weight of stocked fish. Usually catfish minnow like to eat food at night.

So serve their feed twice a day. Reduce the feed serving rate to 12 to 15 percent, after the first 10 days.

Catfish start taking feed during day time when they reach about 3 inch size. After one months from stocking, provide them 5% of feed daily, according to their body weight.

For measuring average weight of catfish, measure the total weight of 10 fish and divide the total weight by 10. For example, total weight of 10 catfish is 2 kg, divide the result by 10. Now the average weight of one catfish is 200 g.

Measure average weight of catfish after a certain period and feed them according to their average body weight. Provide them feed twice daily (first in the morning and rest in the evening).

Always provide adequate feed according to the age and body weight of the fish. If you provide the catfish less feed than their daily demand, then they will not live and grow properly.

And if you serve excessive feed than their demand, then the extra food will pollute water and increase feeding costs.

During Winter Season

Winter season is not favorable for catfish farming. Various diseases affect the catfish during this season. So you have to take extra care during this season. Change water on a regular basis, usually after every 15 days.

Apply anti fungus medicine after every one month. Keep water depth within 2 feet. If you notice excessive amount of ammonia gas, then you can use Ganonex medicine (a medicine, usually used for removing ammonia gas).

Catfish Harvesting

You can use net for collecting fish from the pond. But it's very difficult to collect catfish from pond by using net. You can use net for collecting a few catfish.

But if you want to collect all fish at once, then you have to remove the water from the pond. Always try to collect fish when it's morning or afternoon. Never collect catfish, when it's too sunny weather outside.

Because collecting catfish in excessive sunny days will damage the condition of fish and you will experience lower rate in the fish market.

Yield

On an average, you can produce about 4 tons of catfish (in proper care and management) from a pond of one acre within 10 months.

Marketing

Marketing catfish is very easy. Because catfish has an established market throughout the world. You will probably be able to easily sell the products in your local market.

Catfish has a great demand and price in the market. Almost all types of people like to have catfish dish on their table. Catfish also has medicinal value and very suitable for the patient. As a result, doctors advice their patient to eat catfish.

However, catfish farming is also a very suitable way to earn some income along with your current job. And also a great source for fulfilling your daily family nutritional demand.

Hope this guide has helped you! Good luck & may God bless you!

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Catfish Farming: Complete Business Guide For Beginners

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Commercial and small scale catfish farming business is gaining popularity day by day. There are numerous catfish species available throughout the world. Among those species, some are very large in size and some species are smaller. Nowadays catfish are highly available in the market and most of the people love this fish on their table.

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Aquaculture catfish are a very popular source of protein as well as a healthy and delicious source of seafood in the United States. Catfish farming is an easy and flexible agriculture based business that can also be profitable. Farming catfish can be done anywhere if you have a suitable place and you can either take care of the protein needs of your own family or sell it to make more profit. There are many species of catfish available in the market. The type of catfish you want to grow depends on what your target market is, what your feeding plans are, and what size pond and area you are thinking about setting up your farm on.

Most species of catfish are resilient and prolific fresh water fish. You can grow them easily and harvest them quickly with little effort in a small or large pond. A suitable fish ponds size can be from 0.25 acres to larger ones with an area of 20 acres of farmland. All you need is a 5 gallon bucket and a pickup truck to start farming.

Starting a catfish farm

The first step to starting a catfish farm is to decide what species of catfish you want to grow. It will depend on the size of your pond, operation of your farm, and the target market. If you want to start a large catfish farm, you must have a large amount of capital. A commercial catfish farm will require 80-100 acres of land and about quarter of a million dollars to successfully run a commercial catfish farm. However, a small farm will need fewer amounts of land and smaller capital. If you want to start small, you might begin with a small pond or you can start from a pond that you already have. A larger pond will yield more profit per pond and can grow larger fish, thereby making the expenses less per pound of fish. Larger farms can buy supplies in bulk which saves on overhead costs.

You will also need an aerator. An electric aerator is fine if you have electricity available, but if electricity is not available at your farm location, think about alternative sources of energy such as gas or diesel run aerators. If you have a large pond already of about 0.25 acres, you can use that as your startup pond. You will have to make some modifications to it. A catfish pond must have smooth bottom, be clean and have a gradual slope.

Catfish ponds must have 20%-30% clay in the soil by weight to minimize seepage. You should allow excessive water to drain out of the pond. Make sure that your spillways allow 1-2 inches of water to run off at a time. Your pond depth should be 3 feet at the shallow end and 8 feet at the deep end. Too shallow of a pond may encourage weed growth.

Marketing plan

To start your marketing plan, determine what type of catfish you will focus on. If you plan to have a large catfish farm, try selling your fish to fish processing plants. Many farmers are able to buy shares of the fish processing plants to which they sell their fish. Your profit per pound might be smaller but you will make up the money through volume.

If you decide to keep your catfish operation smaller, try targeting direct local customers in your area. Start with your relatives, friends and family. Many customers are interested in buying fresh fish directly from the farm instead of buying frozen and packaged fish.

Prepare a business plan

Make sure to construct a detailed feasibility report of your farm, where you will have details about your capital, expenses, and profit. Your feasibility report should include all essential items needed for your catfish farm operation and production annually, such as work force, feed, fuel, equipment, supplies, overheads, utilities, repairs and emergency funds. You will need a business plan if you want to secure financing for your business from a lender. You may also have to pay expenses such as interests on your mortgage, loans, and insurance and finance charges if you already have a loan or mortgage on your property or secured financing for your business. Make sure to include an estimate of costs of additional pumps, building construction, vehicles, feed bins and tractors.

Legal documents

Research on what permits and licensing you will need to start your business as a catfish farmer. Talk to other fish farmers in your area. Hire a consultant to help you with your paperwork or permits. A business consultant can often make things easier for you in exchange for a small fee. Make sure you meet all the state requirements regarding drainage, building, retail, tax, and other types of permits that they may need.

Health and environmental concerns

Keep your fish healthy, make a point to detect early signs of diseases, and take the necessary actions to prevent them. Follow safety guidelines and medication regulations for your fish farm. Know what chemicals are safe to use and how to treat diseases and the water in an eco-friendly manner to treat diseases and pests. Several chemicals such as copper sulfate, formalin, hydrogen peroxide, and povidone iodine are FDA approved and are safe to use in your pond for treating catfish diseases.

Want more tips on business? Download our free eBook and unleash your entrepreneurial powers.

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Starting A Catfish Farming Business - Step By Step Guide

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Aquaculture catfish are a very popular source of protein as well as a healthy and delicious source of seafood in the United States. Catfish farming is an easy and flexible agriculture based business that can also be profitable.

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The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) supports and helps grow the aquaculture industry through:

policy, legislation, and regulation

leasing and licensing

aquatic animal health

advising industry associations

increasing trade and investment

scientific research and innovation.

Policy, legislation and regulation

We develop policy, legislation, and regulation to make effective use of South Australia's limited and valuable aquaculture sector.

Learn more about the policy, legislation, and regulations used by the aquaculture industry.

Leasing and licencing

We manage the leasing of water resources and licencing of aquaculture activity of the South Australian aquaculture industry. Lease and licence requirements aim to promote ecologically sustainable development of the aquaculture industry in South Australia.

Lease and licence holders must make sure they are meeting the high standards set by PIRSA to:

utilise state waters

minimise the impact on the environment

report on their production returns.

Learn more about aquaculture leasing and licencing.

Aquatic animal health

We support aquatic animal health through:

planning and responding to disease emergencies

biosecurity disease surveillance

meeting South Australia's national and international disease reporting requirements

managing disease risks from animal movement

educating people about aquatic animal health risks.

Learn more about aquatic animal health.

Advising industry associations

We give advice to aquaculture industry associations on government regulations. This helps the industry to maintain compliance with regulations and protect the reputation of South Australia's sustainable aquaculture products.

Trade and investment

PIRSA increases trade and investment by:

organising trade delegations

linking investors to industry contacts

giving information on aquaculture production.

We work with the Australian and South Australian Governments to organise inbound and outbound trade delegations. Inbound trade delegations come from foreign governments and industries to investigate buying South Australia aquaculture products. Outbound trade delegations include South Australian industry and government representatives travelling overseas to sell South Australia aquaculture products.

PIRSA helps to link potential investors to industry contacts. The close relationship PIRSA has with the aquaculture industry allows us to help encourage investment.

Investment opportunities

Scientific research and innovation

PIRSA's South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) supports research projects that contribute to best practice and sustainable farming for the aquaculture industry.

Learn more about aquatic scientific research and innovation.

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Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia

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The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) supports and helps grow the aquaculture industry through: policy, legislation, and regulation leasing and licensing aquatic animal health advising industry associations increasing trade and investment scientific research and innovation. We develop policy, legislation, and regulation to make effective use of South Australia's limited and valuable aquaculture sector.

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South Australian Barramundi producer and premium Australian Seafood wholesale and retail specialist.

Not only do we grow and supply the iconic Australian Barramundi year-round, but we are also a seafood exporter, wholesaler and retailer, who're specialised in quality Australian seafood.

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Australian Seafood Specialist | Mark Lee Fish Farm | South Australia

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South Australian Barramundi producer and premium Australian Seafood wholesale and retail specialist. Not only do we grow and supply the iconic Australian Barramundi year-round, but we are also a seafood exporter, wholesaler and retailer, who're specialised in quality Australian seafood.

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Scientific Name
Tandanus tandanus

Other Common Names
Tandan, jewfish, freshwater catfish, catfish

Size
Commonly to 500 mm, 1.8 kg; to 900 mm, 6.8 kg

Conservation Status
Vulnerable

Habitat
Lakes and sluggish turbid streams with fringing vegetation. Lives and feeds largely on the bottom. Solitary, although small individuals often form loose schools.

Distribution
Once common throughout the warmer waters of the the Murray-Darling basin, populations now severely effected. It is believed by some that the introduction of carp is implicated in this decline due to direct competition for feeding sites (as carp and eel-tailed catfish have similar feeding habits) and due to disruption to catfish breeding sites. Still common in a number of smaller lakes in North Western Victoria and Western New South Wales.

Reproduction
Late Spring to mid summer. Prefers gravel river bed to mud. Builds nest 1 to 2 weeks before spawning, If nest exposed by lowered water levels it is abandoned and another built. Elaborate courtship behaviour. One parent, sometimes both, attend nest and aerate and protect eggs until after hatching.

Catfish have been bred artificially and released into a number of impoundments for angling purposes.

Diet
Yabbies, shrimps, molluscs and other organisms from the bottom.

Angling
Despised by some anglers in the past, catfish have a reputation for being dirty fighters. Certainly, given the opportunity they are quick and efficient at "busting off" on snags. In reality eel-tailed catfish have a lot to offer the angler, they fight well and are good to eat.

Catfish are usually caught on bait: shrimp or scrubworms being the go.

Be careful when handling the fish, whether for release or not, as the leading edge of the fins have spines that can give you a nasty jab.

On the table
Considered by some to be the finest freshwater fish of all to eat, eel-tailed catfish have white flesh and an excellent, delicate flavour. Like any fish, do not over cook.

In the aquarium
Eel tailed catfish make interesting specimens and are often available through the aquarium trade. Not suitable for community tanks, but a pair of smaller fish may be kept quite successfully in one larger tank. Can be a bit of an escape artist, so tanks should have close fitting, heavy, lids - catfish can fit through a remarkably small hole, so be warned!

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Scientific Name Tandanus tandanus Other Common Names Tandan, jewfish, freshwater catfish, catfish Size Commonly to 500 mm, 1.8 kg; to 900 mm, 6.8 kg Conservation Status Vulnerable Habitat Lakes and sluggish turbid streams with fringing vegetation. Lives and feeds largely on the bottom. Solitary, although small individuals often form loose schools.

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CATFISH AQUACULTURE

There are over 1200 different species of catfish worldwide, of which only a few freshwater species are important to the fish farmer. Amur catfish has been very widely farmed.

In Australia two species in particular are used for aquaculture: the Eel-tailed Catfish ( Tandanus tandanus) and the Straight-backed Catfish ( Neosilurus spp.)

Catfish aquaculture production is popular in the southern United States, using Channel Catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus). All Catfish sold in the United States is produced domestically. Fish similar to Catfish that are raised in Vietnam - Tra ( Pangasius hypopthalmus), Basa ( Pangasius bocourti), and Swai ( Pangasius micronemus) - cannot be sold under the market name 'Catfish' in the U.S.

In Hungary and Yugoslavia the culture of European Catfish (Silurnus glanis) is well developed. Catfish from the family Clariidae ( C. batrachus and C. macrocephalus) are grown in Thailand, Vietnam, India, Pakistan and Malaysia.

There are several species of catfish farmed throughout the world. Channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus) is a very important species for freshwater aquaculture in the USA, Russia and some central and South American countries. It is used mainly for recreational fishing. In Australia it is not permitted to import brood-stock or to farm it.

The South African indigenous Sharptooth Catfish ( Clarias gariepinus) is considered by many to be the species with the greatest mass production potential in South Africa. Initially it seems catfish is to be produced as a cheap protein for the lower income market. However, the quality of the flesh is good and allows a variety of products to be prepared which could be quite suitable for more up-market consumers. It is a versatile and useable protein resource that can easily find a high consumer acceptance if correctly processed and marketed.

The Australian freshwater catfish (Tandanus tandanus) is a native fish, excellent for angling and good eating. They are predators and do best in mature dams with aquatic life. Will breed in some dams but require pebble bottom for nesting. Recommended stocking rate - 250 fish/ha. In Australia you are only allowed to stock in Victorian waters north of the Great Dividing Range.
General Characteristics of Catfish
- Lack of scales.

- Presence of prominent barbels around their mouth with specialised olfactory sensors

- In the wild they are omnivorous scavengers and generally bottom feeders, however, when farmed, they tend to feed off the top of the water, maintaining their typical 'opportunistic' feeding behaviour.

- Great food conversion ratio.

Catfish spawning takes place naturally in the early summer when the water warms. Earlier spawning can be encouraged by using artificially heated, smaller ponds or by the use of hormone injections.
CASE STUDY Eel Tailed Catfish (Tandanus tandanus)
Native fish in the warmer parts of the Murray Darling basin in Australia; also found in coastal rivers from south of Cooktown and in smaller lakes of North-Western Victoria and Western NSW.

- Distinguished from other similar species by their long eel like tail fin.

- Adults can grow as large as 6 kg.

- A bottom dweller, often fed with sinking pellets, however, they will reach the surface for food is it available (e.g. flakes).

- Carnivores: Main sources of food include small fish, molluscs, yabbies and shrimps. Will also eat worms, insect larvae, snails, and even frogs and toads.

- Can weigh approximately between 1.5 and 6.8 kg.

- Average length varies between 50 and 90 cm.

- Their life span can be up to 8 years, if kept in a healthy environment.

- Optimum range of temperature is between 17°C to between 21°C and 25°C.

- Desired pH levels should remain between 6.5 and 7.

- Suitable to stock dams.

- Often found solitary in the wild, so communal tanks might not be advisable. One or two per tank is preferable but if it is a reasonably large tank, more may be OK, or they may be kept with other similar sized fish species. Avoid keeping them with smaller fish.

- They tend to reproduce in the warmer seasons (between late spring and early summer months). They tend to breed more freely in large dams or ponds rather than smaller tanks. If breeding is in mind, it is recommended to provide a gravel bed for them, as they tend to build their nests from this material. Protect the eggs from predators (including other fish) - eggs should hatch in approximately 7 days.

- Males and females can be distinguished by their protuberance behind their vent: males have a long and round-shaped papilla, while females have a triangle-shaped papilla.

- White and firm flesh and no scales. It is said to have a delicious and delicate flavour.

- Beware of their spines when handling! And do not try to approach them during their nesting period; they will feel threatened and will attempt to attack.

- Stocking rate suggested at 250 fish per hectare.

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There are over 1200 different species of catfish worldwide, of which only a few freshwater species are important to the fish farmer. Amur catfish has been very widely farmed. In Australia two species in particular are used for aquaculture: the Eel-tailed Catfish ( Tandanus tandanus) and the Straight-backed Catfish ( Neosilurus spp.)

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It may be Australia's traditional beef capital, but there is something fishy going on in Rockhampton.

Landholders are digging up old grazing country around the Central Queensland city to put in dams and ponds to feed the growing demand for redclaw crayfish and other seafood produced in aquaculture farms.

Landholders are digging up grazing country to establish aquaculture projects

They say the market for redclaw crayfish is bigger than what they can provide

Northern Australia is thought to have more than one million hectares of suitable marine farming land

Rick Hendy is preparing an aquaculture project on his 44-hectare property which he said would one day house at least 20 ponds of crayfish.

"We are only going to do a couple of ponds initially [because] we want to make sure our growing procedure is right," Mr Hendy said.

"We don't want to go too big and put too many ponds in and have a large kill."

The first two ponds will be about 1,000 square metres and house about 10,000 juveniles within a megalitre of water.

The site planned for Rick Hendy's aquaculture project.(ABC Rural: Meg Bolton)

Limitless potential

Significant research is being done into developing aquaculture by the Cooperative Research Centre for Northern Australia (CRCNA), with more than one million hectares of land in the region deemed suitable for marine farming.

It also found there were more than 50 million hectares of suitable land for freshwater pond culture.

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Mr Hendy said after researching the redclaw market for the past 20 years, now was the perfect time to enter the industry.

"The market is bigger than what we can provide ... from all reports the market is there, you just need to learn how to grow them," he said.

"As far as redclaw goes, it's such a tiny, tiny little industry at the moment."

To harvest redclaw crayfish, the dam is drained and the crustaceans march up a ramp into a tank.(ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)

Redclaw crayfish accounts for less than 3 per cent of the $223 million northern Australia aquaculture industry, according to the CRCNA.

Its situational analysis found the industry had the potential to expand to five times its current production and achieve gross values of production greater than $1.3 billion a year by 2030 in northern Australia.

The growth would create between 1,400 and 2,300 jobs, it said.

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Mr Hendy said the aquaculture ponds were essentially underwater feedlots.

"These days we don't have to do our own growing out of young from eggs to hatchlings - there are companies in Townsville, for example, that will do that growing for you," he said.

"It just becomes like a feedlot; we buy the juveniles in, feed them for nine to 11 months, and farm them out."

He said his operation could grow up to 40 ponds which would produce up to 20 tonnes a year.

Big Aussie appetite

Peter Anderson has dug two 2.5-megalitre dams for his project.(ABC Rural: Meg Bolton)

Several kilometres away, Peter Anderson is also investing in aquaculture on his Alton Downs property.

Once operational, he would farm redclaw, jade perch and eel-tailed catfish in 1.2 hectares of aquaculture ponds and tank space of 100 square metres.

He said intensive farming was the way of the future.

"You look at a small block like we've got, and you look at cattle or cropping and anything like that, and you've got to have at least 1,000 acres before you can even survive on that," Mr Anderson said.

And while demand was high for the crayfish in the interstate and export market, Mr Hendy said he wanted to supply central Queenslanders first.

"We want to have a slightly larger than standard size product for the local restaurants [because] CQ people like a heartier meal, and as we grow our service, we will send to the southern market."

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Seafood in the beef capital? Aquaculture making a mark in cattle country

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It may be Australia's traditional beef capital, but there is something fishy going on in Rockhampton.

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In a suburban backyard in Canberra's north, Gurkan Yeniceri is growing a produce-rich garden with the help of freshwater fish.

He has joined forces with the Canberra Environment Centre to show gardeners the possibilities of backyard aquaponics.

Growing fish and vegetables together has long been popular in parts of southern China, Thailand and Indonesia in a unique and sustainable approach to farming.

In an aquaponic system, water from a large fish tank is fed into a grow bed erected above the tank.

Broken down fish by-products are fed into the grow bed as nourishment for the plants before the water is recirculated into the aquaculture system.

"Aquaponics is a closed system where fish and vegetables grow together and the fish create the manure and the manure is fed to the vegetables," Mr Yeniceri said.

"You can grow all kinds of vegetables - at the end we eat both the vegetables and the fish."

Water from the fish tank below is fed to the hydroponic system where by-products are broken down by nitrification bacteria and used by the plants in the grow bed as nutrients.(666 ABC Canberra: Hannah Walmsley)

Mr Yeniceri's thriving garden is proof the aquaponic system is well suited to the Canberra environment.

"We always have a garden full of fresh produce ready to eat - lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, herbs and all sorts," he said.

For Australian aquaponic gardeners, Mr Yeniceri said perch was the most popular fish for the plant growth system.

"In Canberra, because of the cool climate, we use trout which grow in nine months or silver perch that take about two years to grow," he said.

"Crayfish, yabbies and catfish are also popular to keep the system clean."

The size, complexity and type of foods grown in an aquaponic system can vary depending on the scale of the structure.(666 ABC Canberra: Hannah Walmsley)

As part of the Canberra Environment Centre's sustainability workshops, Mr Yeniceri will teach interested gardeners to set up a basic aquaponics system in their gardens.

"It's a sustainable system insofar as it uses less water compared to a vegetable garden planted in soil," he said.

"You can produce food for the fish at home in the form of worms and nothing is wasted in this system.

"The fish may lay eggs in the system if it's big enough and then you can eat those fish too."

Mr Yeniceri said the vegetables would not take on the flavours of the fish.

The Canberra Environment Centre will host a backyard aquaponics workshop on February 23. Bookings are essential.

Using gravel in the grow bed rather than soil keeps the plants well anchored and tends not to impact the PH of the water.(666 ABC Canberra: Hannah Walmsley)

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Backyard aquaponics make a splash in suburban Canberra

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In a suburban backyard in Canberra's north, Gurkan Yeniceri is growing a produce-rich garden with the help of freshwater fish. He has joined forces with the Canberra Environment Centre to show gardeners the possibilities of backyard aquaponics. Growing fish and vegetables together has long been popular in parts of southern China, Thailand and Indonesia in a unique and sustainable approach to farming.

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The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) supports and helps grow the aquaculture industry through:

policy, legislation, and regulation

leasing and licensing

aquatic animal health

advising industry associations

increasing trade and investment

scientific research and innovation.

Policy, legislation and regulation

We develop policy, legislation, and regulation to make effective use of South Australia's limited and valuable aquaculture sector.

Learn more about the policy, legislation, and regulations used by the aquaculture industry.

Leasing and licencing

We manage the leasing of water resources and licencing of aquaculture activity of the South Australian aquaculture industry. Lease and licence requirements aim to promote ecologically sustainable development of the aquaculture industry in South Australia.

Lease and licence holders must make sure they are meeting the high standards set by PIRSA to:

utilise state waters

minimise the impact on the environment

report on their production returns.

Learn more about aquaculture leasing and licencing.

Aquatic animal health

We support aquatic animal health through:

planning and responding to disease emergencies

biosecurity disease surveillance

meeting South Australia's national and international disease reporting requirements

managing disease risks from animal movement

educating people about aquatic animal health risks.

Learn more about aquatic animal health.

Advising industry associations

We give advice to aquaculture industry associations on government regulations. This helps the industry to maintain compliance with regulations and protect the reputation of South Australia's sustainable aquaculture products.

Trade and investment

PIRSA increases trade and investment by:

organising trade delegations

linking investors to industry contacts

giving information on aquaculture production.

We work with the Australian and South Australian Governments to organise inbound and outbound trade delegations. Inbound trade delegations come from foreign governments and industries to investigate buying South Australia aquaculture products. Outbound trade delegations include South Australian industry and government representatives travelling overseas to sell South Australia aquaculture products.

PIRSA helps to link potential investors to industry contacts. The close relationship PIRSA has with the aquaculture industry allows us to help encourage investment.

Investment opportunities

Scientific research and innovation

PIRSA's South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) supports research projects that contribute to best practice and sustainable farming for the aquaculture industry.

Learn more about aquatic scientific research and innovation.

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Department of Primary Industries and Regions, South Australia

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The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) supports and helps grow the aquaculture industry through: policy, legislation, and regulation leasing and licensing aquatic animal health advising industry associations increasing trade and investment scientific research and innovation. We develop policy, legislation, and regulation to make effective use of South Australia's limited and valuable aquaculture sector.

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Employment Outcomes

This qualification represents the base entry point into this sector of the seafood industry and provides people with a range of core and underpinning skills and knowledge relevant to work as a field hand in the aquaculture sector. Job role titles may include Farm Hand, General Hand, Shop Hand, Feeder, Pond Worker, Farm Labourer, Hatchery or Nursery Assistant.

Note: Completion of a TAFE SA course does not guarantee an employment outcome. Formal requirements other than educational qualifications (eg licensing, professional registration), may apply to some occupations.

Qualifications & Skills Covered

Certificate II in Aquaculture (SFI20119)
This course includes skills in basic food handling, communication in the seafood industry and workplace safety. To complete the qualification you are required to complete all 5 core units and 7 elective units.

Note: Students who successfully complete only one or more units of competency but not the full qualification are eligible to receive a Statement of Attainment.

88%*
of TAFE SA graduates find jobs or continue studying.

85%*
of TAFE SA graduates are satisfied with the overall quality of training.

* 2019 NCVER Student Outcomes Survey findings

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This qualification represents the base entry point into this sector of the seafood industry and provides people with a range of core and underpinning skills and knowledge relevant to work as a field hand in the aquaculture sector. Job role titles may include Farm Hand, General Hand, Shop Hand, Feeder, Pond Worker, Farm Labourer, Hatchery or Nursery Assistant.

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Southern Australian waters and the North Sea have been identified as having the strongest potential for commercial shellfish aquaculture in a major global study.

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Australian marine eco-regions occupied four of the top five locations for shellfish aquaculture while the North Sea region of Europe was rated highest for both potential shellfish and seaweed production.

However, the North Sea's high potential was partly due to the opportunity for aquaculture to address the region's substantial nutrient pollution, wide-scale loss of shellfish reefs and significant fishing pressure.

The study, A global spatial analysis reveals where marine aquaculture can benefit nature and people, is published in the journal PLOS ONE today and is a collaboration between international conservation non-profit The Nature Conservancy, US scientific agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and South Australian institution the University of Adelaide.

The Australian regions identified - South Australian Gulfs, Tasmania, the Manning-Hawkesbury area on the central coast of New South Wales and Leeuwin in the southwest corner of Western Australia - are already well known for shellfish aquaculture, particularly oysters and abalone.

South Australia's Gulf Region includes Kangaroo Island, Eyre Peninsula, St Vincent Gulf and Spencer Gulf, which is also home to Southern Bluefin Tuna and Kingfish farms. The area is known for its pristine waters and strict biosecurity controls to keep the valuable oyster industry safe.

The research, which looked at key environmental, socioeconomic and human health considerations, identified regions where governments, international development organizations and investors should prioritise new aquaculture efforts.

The commercial production of shellfish and seaweed can generate in-demand proteins and jobs while also having a net-positive effect on the surrounding environment by filtering polluted waters and providing habitat for commercially-important seafood species.

The study is the first of its kind to examine the global potential for this concept, which The Nature Conservancy refers to as "restorative aquaculture".

"We already know that, done right, aquaculture shows tremendous promise for addressing some of our most significant food and environmental challenges," said lead author Dr Seth Theuerkauf, Aquaculture Scientist at The Nature Conservancy.

"But, in order to maximize these benefits, we also know that location is essential - and some regions have stronger potential than others."

Other regions highlighted for particular potential include the East China Sea, Southern California Bight, New Zealand and South America.

Based on an extensive study of spatial data, the study's results were also informed by engaging an international aquaculture expert panel that included representation from the World Bank, NOAA and Taylor Shellfish Farms.

"The study brings together global-scale spatial datasets representing key environmental, socioeconomic, and human health considerations and provides insights into specific geographic regions where governments, international development organizations, and investors should prioritize new aquaculture efforts," Dr Theuerkauf said.

"By encouraging progress in public policy, capacity-building, and business planning, the study team hopes to help unlock the full economic and environmental potential of restorative shellfish and seaweed aquaculture."

Related Story
Primary Industries
Andrew Spence

A global conservation organisation, The Nature Conservancy is no stranger to South Australia's Gulf waters. TNC is leading a shellfish reef restoration project in Gulf St Vincent, the largest reef restoration project of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

It consists of 150 artificial reefs spanning 20ha about 1km off the coast of Ardrossan on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula. The reefs were sunk in 2017 and 2018 and the first 30,000 mature native oysters were seeded in January 2018.

South Australia is ramping up commercial oyster production again after a three-year program to safeguard itself against Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS).

The state typically produces about 5 million dozen Pacific Oysters a year and now also produces its own spat to avoid the risk of importing infected juveniles from other jurisdictions. It is also expected to soon become an exporter of spat to global markets with inquiries already received from Canadian oyster farms.
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Southern Australia identified as potential aquaculture hotspot - The Lead SA

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Southern Australian waters and the North Sea have been identified as having the strongest potential for commercial shellfish aquaculture in a major global study. Sign up to receive notifications about new stories in this category. Thank you for subscribing to story notifications.

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Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms for the purpose of trade, business or research.

In South Australia, aquaculture is undertaken on land in tanks and ponds to raise species such as abalone, barramundi, Murray Cod, Rainbow/Brown Trout, yabbies and marron. Aquaculture in marine waters include Southern Bluefin Tuna, Yellowtail Kingfish, Blue Mussel, Pacific Oyster and abalone, and methods used are cages, long lines and/or racks depending on the species that is being cultured.

How we regulate

The aquaculture industry in South Australia is regulated by Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) through the Aquaculture Act 2001.

The EPA is a mandatory referral agency under the Aquaculture Act 2001 for all aquaculture licence applications and amendments, and for lease conversions that occur outside an aquaculture zone.

The EPA is also a mandatory referral agency under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 for development applications relating to land-based aquaculture depending on the nature of the proposed activity. It has the power to add conditions and can direct refusal of an application.

The EPA also provides advice to PIRSA on the development of aquaculture policies and environmental monitoring programs for industry.

When assessing aquaculture proposals, the EPA must have regard to, and seek to further, the objects of the Environment Protection Act 1993 (EP Act), and have regard to the general environmental duty and relevant environment protection policies. This includes:

Water quality - addition of nutrients into any waters resulting from uneaten feed and faeces; use of chemicals and fuels on aquaculture sites; increased turbidity from algal blooms; impacts on aquatic animals and vegetation from pollution

Waste - disposal of mortalities and processing waste; cleaning of infrastructure; removal of biofouling; settlement of uneaten feed, faeces and other organic matter resulting in anoxic sediments

Site contamination - chemical and fuel spills

Noise - storage, cooling and processing facilities; pumps; filtration equipment; vessels entering and leaving the harbour at variable hours, maintenance; equipment cleaning.

Odour - management of organic waste including disposal of mortalities and fish waste; decomposing biofouling on equipment such as cages and racks.

All aquaculture operations are expected to comply with EPA legislation and have a general environmental duty to avoid causing environmental harm. This harm can occur both within and outside the boundary of the aquaculture site.

Guidelines

Codes of practice

The EPA has produced environmental codes of practice for oyster and abalone growers which describes how farmers can meet EPA requirements. This is achieved by identifying potential environmental issues associated with farming oysters and abalone, and provides management strategies to address these issues.

The codes specify mandatory requirements that must be complied with and best environmental practices that are generally outcome-based to allow growers to continue their own individual methods of farming oysters.

Checklists for oyster growers

The EPA has produced a series of checklists for the 4 key components associated with oyster farming. These checklists enable oyster growers to undertake a self-audit of their business. These checklists could also be used by relevant government agencies to assess compliance with EPA legislation during site visits.

1. Marine farming sites - where the oysters are farmed

2. Oyster depots - where grading, packing, and equipment maintenance and storage takes place.

3. Use of vehicles and vessels - operation and maintenance of vehicles and vessels used on the farm such as oyster punts, tractors and forklifts.

4. Hatcheries - facilities used to grow oyster spat.

If you have any comments or suggestions for improvement on both the codes and the checklists, please contact the EPA via email.

Related documents

FAQS

Whose responsibility is it to license aquaculture activities?
PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is the agency that licenses aquaculture. You can contact them on 08 8226 0900 or email.
What is EPA's role in aquaculture?
PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is responsible for the licensing and management of aquaculture in South Australia. However all aquaculture licence applications are referred by PIRSA to the EPA for assessment.

The EPA has the ability to stipulate licence conditions or refuse licence applications if there is evidence the proposed activity is unlikely to meet their environmental requirements under the Environment Protection Act 1993. For further information on the management of aquaculture, contact PIRSA on 08 8226 0900 or email.
Whose responsibility is it to monitor environmental impacts from aquaculture?
Monitoring environmental impacts is the responsibility of industry operators as defined in Aquaculture Regulations 2016.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is the agency that administers environmental monitoring for aquaculture in South Australia. PIRSA can be contacted on 08 8226 0900 or email.
Equipment (eg ropes, netting, feedbags) from fish farms has been found washed up on the shore. Who do we report this to?
Under the legislation, an aquaculture facility must clean up any washed-up equipment as soon as practicably possible.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is the licensing agency for aquaculture, and can be contacted on 08 8226 0900 or email.
Whose responsibility is it to respond to noise and odour coming from a land-based fish farm (or farm depot)?
A proposal for land-based aquaculture is required to obtain a development approval from the local council. The management of noise and odour is addressed during the development assessment process. Consequently concerns with these issues should be directed towards the relevant local council.

PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture as the key regulatory agency may also have an interest in the matter and can be contacted on 08 8226 0900 or email.
A fish farm is depositing waste/wastewater into a catchment area, stormwater or waterway. Who should I talk to?
PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture is the agency responsible for managing aquaculture issues, and can be contacted on 8226 0900 or email. PIRSA may engage EPA for advice on this matter if needed.
Tuna or finfish processing vessels in Port Lincoln appear to be discharging blood into the bay, possibly attracting sharks. Whose responsibility is it to respond to that?
For tuna, the discharge could be coming from either large factory freezer vessels or smaller harvest vessels. The processing of tuna on board large factory freezer vessels is a licensed activity managed by the EPA. These boats are not permitted to discharge any waste and are required to hold and dispose of all waste in accordance with their licence conditions. In the event that blood or other waste is being discharged from the processing boat, the EPA is the correct point of contact.

Harvest boats for finfish and tuna are directly associated with farming activities licensed by PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. These boats are used to dispatch and store fish prior to transport to the freezer vessels or land-based processing facilities. These harvest vessels are required to contain all blood and waste on board the vessel. If the vessel discharges waste, it is a contravention of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2015. In this case details of the incident should be forwarded to either the EPA, or PIRSA on 8226 0900 or email.
There is a large algal bloom occurring in the water near a fish farm. Could this be caused by the farming activity? Who is responsible for addressing this issue?
Algal blooms can be caused by a number of reasons and can also be a natural event in both marine and freshwater environments. However if there is a suspicion that it is caused by a fish farming activity, PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, being the regulatory agency for aquaculture, can be contacted on 8226 0900 or email.

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Last modified: 06/01/2021

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Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms for the purpose of trade, business or research. In South Australia, aquaculture is undertaken on land in tanks and ponds to raise species such as abalone, barramundi, Murray Cod, Rainbow/Brown Trout, yabbies and marron.