Program and Abstracts(PDF)

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF KEY WORKS
Brown, T.W., J. A. Chappell and T.R. Hanson. 2010. Commercial Production of Channel
Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and Hybrid Catfish Ictalurus punctatus x Ictalurus furcatus Utilizing
an In-pond Raceway System in West Alabama. Abstract printed in the Book of Abstracts of the
World Aquaculture Society 2010 meeting, March 1-5, San Diego, CA, USA: p. 142.
ABSTRACT: The aim of this project was to improve profitability by demonstrating methods to
achieve high levels of feed performance, survival, and efficiency in a commercial farm setting. A
commercial-scale modified In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS) was deployed in 2007 on a
commercial fish farm in west Alabama. The IPRS was developed and installed in a 6-acre earthen
pond with an average depth of about 5.5 feet. Six production cells (raceways) were constructed of
concrete blocks on a reinforced concrete pad. Raceway dimensions are 16 feet wide by 37 feet
long by 4 feet deep. They are arranged side by side and share common walls. Each cell is
equipped with a ½ HP water mover (paddlewheel) at its upstream end which rotates at 1.2 RPM
and allows for the exchange of water in each raceway as frequently as once every 4.9 minutes.
Each raceway was originally stocked with 12,000 to 30,000 advanced stockers that weighted
between 0.13 and 0.92 pounds to simulate a staggered stocking and harvest production method.
Results from the 2008 production season had an 84.3% mean survival across all raceways. The
average feed conversion ratio (FCR) for channel catfish and hybrid catfish was 1.78 and 1.36
respectively (range from 1.16 - 2.11 to 1.0) and total catfish harvested was 109,808 lbs (18,301
lbs per acre). An additional 14,003 lbs of tilapia and paddlefish were harvested as co-cultured
species (Table 1). IPRS improvements in survival, feed efficiency, disease management and
overall production have increased yields, reduced unit production costs, and improved enterprise
profitability over traditional multiple-batch pond production systems for catfish.
This paper is important as in-pond raceways increase the amount of control the aquaculturist has
over catfish production compared to present open pond production. This can lead to efficiency
improvement including lowering of the cost of production, and providing processors with the size
fish consumer prefer, that is a market pull rather than a market push approach.
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