Flat Aggie Learns About Aquaculture

 

Wow what a week!!!! I am Flat Aggie and I have been on most awesome adventure!!!!! I landed in Frankfort KY with Angela Caporelli, the Aquaculture Coordinator and Marketing Specialist for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. What a ride! I did not even know what Aquaculture was until I met my new friend Angela. Aquaculture is “The farming and husbandry (raising animals) of freshwater and marine plants and animals”  Pretty cool! I learned SOOOO much! Like the fact that aquaculture is the fastest growing form of agriculture worldwide today. Most of the fish and shellfish we eat in the US is imported and 90% of that is farm raised in other countries.  Here in the US we raise several types of fish and shell fish, but because it is relatively new, compared to cattle farming, we have a long way to go in some areas. But not research!

 

I started my adventure at the Kentucky State University Aquaculture Research Center.  This center is the bomb!  You know they raise all kinds of fish there and help famers throughout the world learn better ways to raise and feed these fish. Right here I met Shawn Coyle who is a researcher there and specializes in freshwater prawn and bass.

Here I am petting a bass.

Here I am with a fresh water prawn.

 

There are so many cool things to do in aquaculture. There is so much research going on that I was blown away!!!! You know, they are looking at the genetic make-up of all kinds of shrimp from all over the world to see what types of genetic markers will tell these guys what feed would be better or might make them able to deal with the cold in some areas…. Pretty cool I thought…

Here I am with some cool equipment.

I am by a recircultating system.

I was able to see tank culture, pond culture and also how some farmers grow fish and vegetables together in recirculating systems called Aquaponics.  This is where the fish pee in the water and the plants take those nutrients and use them to grow and then clean the water so it is healthier for the fish!

One of the researchers does real cool studies with Koi and selects genes just to get different colors!

It was an awesome day and I want to thank my new friend Angela for all her great information!



Look at these Koi!!!! Pretty cool!  I love aquaculture!!! Fish Farming rocks!!!

For more information on Kentucky State University Aquaculture Program check out their website.

Thank you so much Angela for taking Flat Aggie on this adventure!  It was fun to learn about aquaculture - I always love to teach my kids big words! 

What do YOU think of this adventure?