- The Ohio Center for Aquaculture
Development at the OSU South Centers in Piketon introduced
freshwater shrimp to their new home on Wednesday when Bob
Calala, president of the Ohio Aquaculture Association and
co-owner of Calala’s Water Haven, delivered approximately
24,000 freshwater shrimp to the center.
- The aquaculture staff and
additional assistants spent Wednesday morning releasing the
shrimp from their delivery container into the pond where they
will grow for the next few months These
shrimp will be harvested in September after residing in the
pond approximately 90 days.
These shrimp will be used to investigate extended
harvest techniques where instead of harvesting the pond in one
day, as is traditionally done, the harvest is carried out over
several days, extending the marketing season.
- .“When harvested in September,
the shrimp will be about five inches long and weigh in at 15
shrimp per pound,” said Laura Tiu, Senior Research Associate
with the Ohio Center for Aquaculture Development.
- In Ohio, there are around 25 farms
that are culturing freshwater shrimp.
The OSU South Centers is the second largest delivery
Calala makes in Ohio. The
largest delivery this year was 34,000 shrimp.
- Calala gets the freshwater shrimp
from hatcheries in Kentucky and Texas and then raises them in
his nursery until they are old enough to be delivered to the
buyers.
- Previously, the OSU South Centers
did not sell the shrimp raised.
This year, however, they will be offering some of their
crop for sale. The
remaining shrimp will be used in a shrimp cook off where local
businesses compete for the Golden Shrimp award.
This cook off is used to promote the South Centers, the
aquaculture department, and the shrimp industry.
- The shrimp harvest party is
planned for Friday, September 16 at the OSU South Centers in
Piketon.
- Freshwater shrimp were first
introduced to the OSU South Centers in 2002 when an 0n-farm
demonstration was set up to
see if freshwater shrimp could be raised Ohio.
- Freshwater shrimp are believed to
have great potential for diversification of Ohio farms.
They have a short growing season, June through September, that
fits in well with other farm activities.
They, also, require little labor, one feeding a day and
one harvest day, and occupy underutilized existing water
resources.
- The Ohio Center for Aquaculture
Development and the Ohio Aquaculture Association support and
promote aquaculture development by working with those who may
have an interest or impact on aquaculture.
- Contact Laura Tiu, Research Associate, at (740)
289-2071 or by e-mail at tiu.2@osu.edu
for more information on the shrimp and other
aquaculture events.
-
|
|
