Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted the annual Field Day and attended the annual meeting of the Kansas Aquaculture Association. We made presentations to a national audience at a trade show sponsored by Pond Pro Shop, an Oklahoma water garden retailer, and to several lay water garden organizations. We presented information to attendees at the Langston University Annual Small Farmer's Conference regarding the opportunities for aquaculture production and sales in Oklahoma and surrounding states. Two articles for inclusion on the Langston University Aquaculture website were completed. We held monthly demonstration fish sales to gather information from buyers. The information was forwarded to fish farmers and prospective fish farmers at our Field Day, at Aquaculture Association meetings, and through email, telephone, and during site visits. We also facilitated contact between fish farmers in Wetumka and Connerville and fish buyers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and the Iowa Tribe in Perkins. We worked with a farmer and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to produce triploid grass carp. We initiated contact between local retail outlets and Oklahoma fish farmers to increase sales of cultured grass carp and buffalo. PARTICIPANTS: Investigators Luker and Kleinholz were invited speakers at meetings of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations, Pond Pro Shop and water gardening associations. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were fish farmers and marketers, pond owners, neighborhood associations, landscape professionals and owners of ornamental ponds. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no activities for fish marketing or phytoplankton management due to effects of a severe drought which prevented adequate water supply to maintain pond water levels.
Impacts
Pond Pro Shop, a nationally rated "top 10" water garden store in Oklahoma reported a 50% increase in sales of aeration systems and sales of fish increased 20% after presentations to water garden retailers. More persons reported extending the portion of the year that fish were actively fed and maintained. The agricultural diversification grant obtained last year was implemented this year, and increased the number of species available for sale from the awarded producer.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We conducted the annual Field Day and attended the annual meeting of the Kansas Aquaculture Association, and presented research results comparing the production of smallmouth vs. bigmouth buffalo to both sets of farmers. We presented information to attendees at the Langston University Annual Small Farmers Conference regarding the opportunities for aquaculture production and sales in Oklahoma and surrounding states. We conducted meetings with the Oklahoma Aquaculture Association in attempts to terminate the free farm pond stocking program conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. We held monthly demonstration fish sales to gather information from buyers. The information was forwarded to fish farmers and prospective fish farmers at our Field Day, at Aquaculture Association meetings, and through email, telephone, and during site visits. We also established contact between farmers in Wetumka and Connerville and buyers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. We helped a small-scale retailer of smoked fish products find producers of scaled fish and supplies to facilitate shipping of prepared products. Private pond owners were taught the importance of nutrient input in pond watersheds as a cause/effect of production of nuisance phytoplankton blooms. Fish farmers were polled, and a list of best management practices for fish hauling was compiled. PARTICIPANTS: Investigators Luker and Kleinholz were invited speakers at meetings of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations, Pond Pro Shop and water gardening associations. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were fish farmers and marketers, pond owners, neighborhood associations, landscape professionals and owners of ornamental ponds. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no activities for fish marketing or phytoplankton management due to effects of a severe drought which prevented adequate water supply to maintain pond water levels.
Impacts
Discussion between aquaculture producers and the Wildlife Department regarding the Department's free pond stocking program failed to resolve the issue. We helped a small scale processor of smoked fish start their business. Direct contact between aquaculture producers and end buyers was initiated. Estimated demand is greater than current production levels. We obtained the first agricultural diversification grant for aquaculture from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry this year. Additional grants should now be easier to obtain, which should increase opportunities for current or potential producers of alternate aquaculture species. Fish haulers are more conscientious about hauling tank disinfection and disposal of hauling water. Reduction of nutrient input to private ponds was verbally stated but not quantified.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We presented research results comparing the production of smallmouth vs. bigmouth buffalo at the annual Field Day and the annual meeting of the Kansas Aquaculture Association. Fish farmers were polled to compile a list of best management practices for fish hauling. We presented information at the Langston University Small Farms Conference showing opportunities for aquaculture production and sales in Oklahoma and surrounding states. We initiated contact between local retailers and Oklahoma farmers to increase sales of cultured grass carp and buffalo. Private pond owners learned the importance of nutrient input in pond watersheds as a cause/effect of nuisance phytoplankton blooms. On-site visits were made to individual pond owners, home owner associations and their representatives. Ponds were evaluated and recommendations for remedies to existing, and prevention of future problems were made. Education concentrated on watershed nutrient reduction and annual pond maintenance. Research investigated the configuration of floating bead filter systems for ornamental ponds. Fact sheets were posted on the Aquaculture Program website. PARTICIPANTS: Investigators Luker and Kleinholz were invited speakers at meetings of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations, Williams was an invited speaker at several homeowner association meetings. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were fish farmers and marketers, pond owners, neighborhood associations, landscape professionals and owners of ornamental ponds. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Direct contact between aquaculture producers and end buyers was initiated, but quantities of sales are unknown. Fish haulers are more conscientious about hauling tank disinfection and disposal of hauling water. Reduction of nutrient input to private ponds was verbally stated but not quantified. Pond owners worked with lawn service enterprises to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen applications to lawns, neighbors may be reluctant to reduce perceived lawn quality. Home owner associations produced newsletters with best management practices for lawn fertilization and other pond related information. Aeration devices were installed in some ponds. Improvement in urban pond water quality and watershed streams is likely. Hobbyists increased the use of bogs as part of their pond filtration systems, and reported fewer problems associated with water quality than in previous years. Requests for fish health management decreased by 45% from 2008 and requests for garden pond water quality management decreased by 30%.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We compared growth of bigmouth (BMB) and smallmouth buffalo (SMB) in channel catfish (CC) ponds. Equal numbers of ponds received no buffalo, SMB or BMB only, or equal numbers of both species of buffalo. We used on-campus sales to find sizes and quantities of CC, grass carp (GC) and BMB preferred by consumers. Information transfer occurred at the Aquaculture Field Day and at meetings of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations. Site visits to individuals and home owners associations concentrated on pond maintenance and watershed nutrient reduction. Culture ponds were chained to reduce nuisance algae. We used native submerged vegetation as filtration for ornamental ponds. Fact sheets about site location, pond design, pond types and liners and fish management were posted on the Aquaculture website. PARTICIPANTS: Investigators Luker and Kleinholz were invited speakers at Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations, Williams was an invited speaker at several homeowner association meetings. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were fish farmers and marketers, pond owners, neighborhood associations, landscape professionals and owners of ornamental ponds. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
BMB grew more than SMB during year 1, but SMB grew more than BMB during year 2. Dissolved oxygen in CC ponds containing BMB was < ponds without buffalo, or ponds with SMB, alone or with BMB. Buyers preferred CC ≥2 lbs, buffalo ≥3 lbs and GC 3-8 lbs. Most buyers of scaled fish also bought CC. 59% bought (GC), 35% buffalo, and 5% bought both GC and buffalo with CC. Fifteen percent bought only scaled fish. 74% of those bought GC only, 22% bought GC and buffalo, but only 4% bought buffalo only. Asians and African Americans bought GC, but most buffalo were bought by African Americans. Producers started to sell live CC to Asian markets. African American brokers bought more CC for resale. Pond owners worked to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen applications to lawns. Home owner association newsletters included Best Management Practices for lawn care. Three weeks after CC ponds were chained to disrupt benthic periphyton and release benthic nutrients, biomass and biomass of algae > 10u diameter decreased compared to control ponds, in which periphyton biomass increased. Growth of Najas guadalupensis in tanks paired with those containing 10 cm koi was significantly and positively related to total phytoplankton and total feed input, but water clarity decreased in tanks. Ceratophyllum demersum growth was not correlated with feed input, fish production or water quality parameters. Cladophora sp. was a contaminant in all tanks, but it was inversely related to NH3-N, PO4 and Ceratophyllum.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Presentations were made to members of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations and members of the public at the Langston University Aquaculture Field Day regarding aquaculture pond management (135), to homeowners groups regarding pond and fisheries management (250), to members of the Oklahoma Master Gardeners and other water garden and koi societies regarding management of ornamental ponds (315) and to farmers and individuals regarding retail marketing of live food fish (300).
PARTICIPANTS: Investigators Luker, Williams and Kleinholz were invited speakers at meetings of the Oklahoma and Kansas Aquaculture Associations, Oklahoma Master Gardeners, various homeowner's associations and water gardening associations.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences were fish farmers and marketers, pond owners, neighborhood associations, landscape professionals and owners of ornamental ponds.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None
Impacts
Program activities provided change in knowledge to 1200 persons, including those served by fish marketing (150), water gardening (300), phytoplankton management (350), alternative species (100) and fisheries management (350). 245 persons, changed their actions due to program activities, 18 persons changed their condition, and at least one community had a change in infrastructure due to program activities. Program evaluation indicated a need for printed outputs for urban watershed management practices and ornamental pond management. Modification of chaining equipment is needed to make the method practical for large ponds. Buffalofish production may be impractical at intensive levels.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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