Expansion hopes for one of the worlds largest fish farms In the United States

One of the world's largest indoor fish farms is getting ready to get bigger. Blue Ridge Aquaculture in Martinsville currently produces 4 million pounds of tilapia a year. Right now, they're looking for investors to expand. Bill Martin, CEO, says that in another two or three years, they plan on opening another facility that will produce 10 million pounds of tilapia a year. That would mean about 100 jobs for the area.

Martin says tilapia is growing quickly in popularity. He believes farming fish is the safest way to raise them. "It is a very white bland flaky meat. It's exactly what people that don't like fish like," he said. " "In Alaska, you hear it all the time, the difference between a farm raised salmon and a wild caught Alaskan salmon in the pure waters of the north, which is a bunch of hooey." The fish are fed a high protein diet. He says they're also looking into feeding them algae, which would help increase omega 3s in the fish. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Aquaculturists, published and supported by the International Aquafeed Magazine from Perendale Publishers.