Blog

By Tony Vaught
Butte County aquaculture producer and consultant

I specialize in warm-water fish such as channel catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, sturgeon and several other sunfish that are used for stocking of recreational ponds. I also consult and help people grow all those fish as well as produce fish myself. A lot of my clients produce food for restaurants and family gatherings. The caviar business is strong during the holiday season. A lot of fish are sold from Asian markets. That clientele is very strong.

Aquaculture producers across California are consistently supplying high-quality seafood and recreational fish. This is especially true during the busy holiday season, as many growers provide products for special occasions and family gatherings.

California’s aquaculture crops and production areas are diverse. Freshwater fish such as tilapia, largemouth bass, channel catfish, sturgeon, trout and steelhead are harvested year-round from Modoc County to Imperial County. Additionally, saltwater shellfish and seaweeds are harvested from farms spanning Humboldt County to San Diego County. Our saltwater aquaculture products include oysters, clams, mussels, abalone and various seaweeds like kelp. California also produces most of the caviar in the U.S. from sturgeon farms. Demand for these products remains strong due to reduced wild catches and increasing global seafood consumption.

Many freshwater farms also play a vital role in conventional agriculture by providing water for other crops or grazing lands, demonstrating aquaculture’s partnership with traditional farming. Similarly, saltwater farms not only produce food but also contribute to enhancement projects that boost recreational fishing and, in the case of oysters, actively clean the water.

The most requested fish this time of year are recreational fish like largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and other fish that help maintain water quality and help the pond stay clean. In some cases, there are fish that are filter feeders such as the Sacramento blackfish. It’s a new fish that we’re growing, and it not only reproduces and provides forage for largemouth bass and other fish, it will also filter the water out.

Source

Many growers have just completed a busy season. Aquaculture has two holidays: One is the traditional year-end holiday season when people have lots of events and parties. Farm-raised seafood—freshwater and marine, plus products such as shellfish, abalone and seaweed—are popular during the holiday season.

The second holiday is Chinese New Year, which came in January this year. We sell a lot of fish during this holiday, which is a significant marketing period for the live fish market in urban areas, and this year’s market was particularly strong. Supply has been a little low because the market has been very strong for some time. That’s a good position for farmers to be in—to have a strong market and be able to provide fish for that strong market.

Caviar is harvested during December and January, and the spawning of sturgeon is just around the corner. Sales were very strong during the Christmas holiday. Caviar is aged and stored for sales throughout the year, including the next Christmas season. At the same time, we’re harvesting caviar for next year.

Live trout sales are particularly strong in Southern California during the winter months, supplying large fishing lakes for recreational fishing. Trout are also processed for direct sales to consumers and for the restaurant trade.

Several fish crops in California are awaiting the spring season. The fish species—including sturgeon, channel catfish, largemouth bass and hybrid carp—undergo a cooling period in the winter. As temperatures rise, they begin to develop eggs. Warmer temperatures are needed after the eggs hatch and the small fish are set out to grow.

The areas where fish are raised go from the Oregon border to the Mexican border, with different climates, temperatures and water supply. California has the most variety of aquaculture products in the U.S. because of our climate, water and market. We raise a lot of fish here, and we want to be the leader in aquaculture.