"Some of them just go back to their 

 families as commercial fishermen." 



The most integral ingredient in South 

 Brunswick's aquaculture program is the 

 students, who have distinguished them- 

 selves by undertaking tough projects. 



This year, they raised a tank of 

 rainbow trout, a cool-water fish found 

 almost solely in the mountains. The 

 students were successful in keeping them 

 alive despite warm climate. 



But more impressive was their attempt 

 this past spring to do a "reciprocal cross" 

 of hybrid striped bass. In this experiment, 

 usually attempted only by researchers and 

 professionals, a female white bass and a 

 male striped bass are used to achieve the 

 hybrid. 



The class decided to try the reciprocal 

 cross because the broodstock was 

 available. Though the spawning was 

 unsuccessful — a trace of chlorine and 

 uneven temperatures in the water killed 

 the eggs — the students learned by doing. 



"Even though the experiment failed, 

 they got the learning experience from it," 

 says Bey. "Next year, we can do it. We 

 know the procedure now." 



Bey's classes — which include a 12- 

 week, beginning and advanced course — 

 are a bundle of subjects in one. The 

 program integrates science, business and 

 even engineering. The students did all the 

 plumbing and built all the stands for their 

 500-gallon circular tanks, aquariums 

 and troughs. Bey says. 



The class is not allowed to compete 

 with local businesses, but their payoff 

 comes in practical work experience. For 

 example, the students maintain two ponds 

 at nearby Walden Creek Fish Farm. They 

 get local restaurants to buy from owner 

 Tom Jones. With the money he makes, 

 Jones pays the students to clean the fish. 



Soon the students may have ponds to 

 call their own. Plans are underway to 

 construct four near the school's football 

 field. 



"They get the ideas and concepts 

 here," says Bey. "Then they can go use 

 what they know on the large farms." % ; 



A Barn Raising: 



By Carla B. Burgess 



When it comes to studying the 

 economics of aquaculture, North 

 Carolina is staying in the swim of things. 



At North Carolina State University, 

 thousands of red tilapia make their 

 home in five state-of-the-art re-circulat- 

 ing systems inside the largest demon- 

 stration model of its kind in the country. 



It's called The Fish Barn, a project 

 that may answer the question. "Is it 

 economically feasible to raise fish in 

 tanks?" 



"We'll know in another year or so," 

 says Tom Losordo in response to his 

 own question. Losordo, an assistant 

 professor of zoology and biological and 

 agricultural engineering at NCSU, is the 

 project's principal investigator and an 

 aquaculture specialist with the N.C. 

 Cooperative Extension Service. 



In February, researchers stocked 

 3,375 tilapia each into four 5.500-gallon 

 tanks and 1,800 into one 2,200-gallon 

 tank. 



Four types of biological filters, used 

 to removed suspended solids and 

 ammonia, are being tested in unique 

 configurations for each tank. 



Each tank can produce about 4,000 

 pounds of fish every six months. 



Losordo says the system could be a 

 good alternative production system for 

 fish farmers "that don't have enough 

 water to grow them in ponds or on the 

 coast in an area where they can't get a 

 permit to discharge the water to 

 environmentally sensitive areas. 



"They could run the small amount 

 of wastewater into the sewer or use it 

 on a garden," he says. "A thousand 

 gallons of water would make a great 

 lawn sprinkler and (would) be high in 

 nitrates." 



Each tank uses 100 to 500 gallons 

 per day of new water and re-circulates 

 200 gallons per minute. 



"The whole idea is to make it an 

 energy-efficient and water-efficient 

 system," he says. 



But set-up costs can range from 

 thousands to millions of dollars. That's 

 why Losordo advises aspiring aquacult- 



Will it Pay Off? 



uralists to observe with optimism, but 

 proceed with caution. 



"All I say is wait. Let us spend the 

 money first," he says. The N.C. Fish Barn 

 represents about a $150,000 investment. 



The project is a joint effort of the 

 N.C. Department of Economic and 

 Community Development's Energy 

 Division, N.C. Cooperative Extension 

 Service, N.C. Agricultural Research 

 Service and NCSU's College of Agricul- 

 ture and Life Sciences, 



On this early summer morning, 

 Losordo has just led a tour of the barn 

 for some N.C. Teaching Fellows. He's 

 given more than 25 tours since its 

 opening. 



"It's used as a teaching facility for 

 whoever wants to learn — a farmer, 

 entrepreneur or students," he says. "The 

 whole idea behind the project is to 

 demonstrate state-of-the-art technology 

 and educate the public. 



"We're demonstrating technology 

 and evaluating technology at the same 

 time," he says. 



Come fall, researchers will harvest 

 their first crop of tilapia, which will be 

 test marketed in the United States and 

 Europe by corporate sponsors. Losordo 

 says tilapia can bring $1.25 to $1.35 per 

 pound wholesale, and up to $5 a pound 

 from gourmet restaurants. 



The Fish Barn will be stocked with 

 a second crop through the fall and 

 winter, and researchers will attempt 

 hybrid striped bass production next 

 summer. 



Other researchers, including some 

 from other Sea Grant programs, are 

 conducting experiments at the facility. A 

 Louisiana State University researcher 

 developed a prototype bio-bead filter 

 that is being tested with the re-circulating 

 tanks. "It's the first two of this size to be 

 tried in the world," Losordo says. 



This summer and fall, Losordo is 

 conducting workshops that include a 

 lecture on the theory behind the tech- 

 nology and four hours in the fish barn. 



For more information about 

 The Fish Barn, contact Losordo at 

 919/515-7587. 



COASTWATCH 1 1 



