{"id":6449,"date":"2001-12-01T13:21:00","date_gmt":"2001-12-01T18:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=6449"},"modified":"2024-11-13T12:39:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T17:39:07","slug":"fish-farming-aquaculture-offers-diversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/fish-farming-aquaculture-offers-diversity\/","title":{"rendered":"FISH FARMING: AQUACULTURE OFFERS DIVERSITY"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
As Eastern North Carolina farmers look to diversify their operations, aquaculture opportunities continue to draw attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just ask Hunter Clark of Vanguard Farms. Although his family traditionally had raised hogs, he started farming fish with a hybrid striped bass operation a few years back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After two successful years, he doubled the aquaculture acreage and expanded into yellow perch. Clark also added an ice machine and tanks to grade and hold fish for live sales that draw premium prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The face of North Carolina agriculture is changing,” says Tom Ellis, who heads the aquaculture efforts in the N.C. Department of Agricultme and Consumer Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The tobacco program is changing annually, and we’ve seen historically low prices for com, soybeans and small grains. Some of these farmers \u2014 and others involved in livestock and poultry \u2014 are looking to diversify to establish a stronger economic base,” Ellis adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, a combined effort \u2014 research by Sea Grant scientists, demonstrations by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and marketing efforts by state agriculture officials \u2014 has expanded the state’s aquaculture operation with new species and new technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n