|
An entrepreneur has chosen Tippecanoe County as the place to raise tropical African fish for market. Phil Shambach said he will raise about 300,000 pounds of the popular fish a year, and will sell it mainly to Asian markets and restaurants in cities such as Indianapolis, Chicago and Champaign, Ill. "We are hoping to start stocking it in late March or early April," Shambach said. The county drainage board Friday approved his plans to raise tilapia on a 15-acre site, just north of Romney, at the northeast corner of U.S. 231 and Indiana 28. One of the next steps for Shambach is to obtain a permit from the state Department of Natural Resources. Indiana has issued only one permit for a fish farm in Tippecanoe County -- at the Purdue University Aquaculture Research Lab, according to the Indiana DNR. Starting a fish farm would give farmers another source of income, which is particularly helpful when others such as crops or cattle falter, according to Bob Rode, manager of the Purdue lab on County Road 600 North. Rode also said that such fish farms make the United States less apt to import fish from foreign countries, which would have an effect on the country's trade deficits. Still, the cost of starting a fish farm prevents many farmers from taking that step. One thing that makes raising tilapia expensive is that a farmer must buy equipment to keep the fish warm, unlike other fish that can survive in colder water. Producers overseas still sell fish at a far lower price than most Americans can. To succeed, U.S. farmers must advertise their ability to deliver the product to market in a fresher state than their competitors. Many Americans find they turn the largest profits by selling fish to stateside Asian markets, where they are often kept alive until bought. Shambach said the fish will be raised in tanks inside a building. The water they live in will be filtered and placed in a holding pond. Air will be pumped into the water to help bacteria break down the fish waste. The treated water will then be spread on the orchard grass that Shambach plans to grow on the 15-acre site. He will sell the grass as feed for livestock. Shambach said the fish waste contains a large amount of nitrogen and by spraying it on his crops, he will use less fertilizer. County surveyor Steve Murray said Shambach must submit plans that show when and how often he will test the soil to learn if he is polluting it with nutrients. The county also requires him to make sure the waste is not running onto the properties of his neighbors. County officials will investigate the operation if they hear complaints about it, Murrray said. They have the authority to shut the it down if it is out of compliance. Shambach said he chose to raise tilapia because it is a particularly hardy fish that can withstand most conditions as long as it is kept warm. Tilapia also grows quickly, taking from nine months to a year to go from an egg to an adult. Finally, tilapia is a popular fish among consumers because it has a mild taste and almost no odor. "They call it the broiler chicken of the sea," Shambach said. "It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with." The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Automobile Suspension Parts , Auto Seat Slide , and more. For more , please visit Auto Seat Slide today!
Related Articles -
Automobile Suspension Parts, Auto Seat Slide,
| 
