SBIR-STTR Award

Walleye are a highly valued foodfish and sportfish in the North Central region of the US. The overall goal of our project is to test the feasibility of combining selected new technologies for the commercial production of walleye for food fish and for advanced fingerlings for stocking. For foodfish production, we propose to determine the feasibility of using hybridization together with intensive, in-tank fry-fingerling culture to produce food size walleye in one growing season in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). We will compare the growth and performance of purebred versus hybrid walleye, and document the production parameters of raising hybrid walleye to food size in a single year. For advanced fingerling production, will determine the extent to which advanced spawning and intensive, in-tank fry-fingerling culture can be used in conjunction with traditional pond culture or RAS to produce advanced walleye for stocking recreational fisheries. Specifically, we will compare the survival, growth, and quality of advanced-spawned versus normal spawned fish raised in ponds versus RAS. The development of an aquaculture industry in the North Central region based on RAS has been constrained by the lack of profitability and by the slow growth rates of percid fishes in these systems. We are convinced that one or more of the technologies that we propose to test will lead to new, profitable aquaculture strategies in the North Central region. Our project will increase domestic seafood production and reduce our reliance on imported seafood products.

Walleye are a valuable foodfish and sportfish in the North Central US. The overall goal of our project is to test the feasibility of combining selected new technologies for the commercial production of walleye for food fish and for extended growth fingerlings for stocking. For food fish production we propose to compare the growth, production traits and production costs of hybrid walleye raised to food size in one year in RAS using intensive tank versus conventional pond/tank fry-fingerling production methods. For extended growth fingerling production we propose to compare: 1) the growth and production traits of walleye raised in RAS using advanced versus normal intensive fry-fingerling production methods; and 2) the growth, production traits and production costs of walleye using intensive tank versus conventional pond/tank fry-fingerling production methods. For both food fish and extended growth fingerling production we will determine which method, the intensive tank or the traditional pond/tank method, is the most efficacious and cost effective for producing small fingerlings. We will determine the extent to which advanced spawning, compared to traditional in-season spawning, is an effective method for producing larger extended growth walleye fingerlings. Finally, we will develop accurate and detailed break-even production cost information of using RAS to raise hybrid walleye to food size and extended growth walleye fingerlings for stocking. We are convinced that our results will lead to new, profitable aquaculture strategies in the North Central region. Our project will increase domestic seafood production and reduce our reliance on imported seafood products.