The business of raising fish may still be
relatively small in Indiana, but it is a growing part of the state's
agricultural economy, a Purdue Extension report concludes.
Estimated sales from Indiana fish farms amounted
to more than $15 million in 2012, an increase from $3.5 million in 2006,
according to the publication Economic Importance of the Aquaculture Industry in Indiana. There are about 50 fish producers in Indiana, compared with 18 just seven years ago.
"While aquaculture is not the most well-known
industry in Indiana's agriculture sector, it is definitely present and
very important to the state's economy," Kwamena K. Quagrainie,
aquaculture marketing specialist in Purdue University's Department of Agricultural Economics, said in the report. He conducted the study with graduate student Megan C. Broughton.
"The industry has seen steady growth over the
past few years, and it is important to know exactly how much economic
activity is associated with aquaculture in Indiana," Quagrainie said.
Indiana's aquaculture industry ranges from
small-scale producers raising fish in their backyards to large-scale
producers growing fish to sell in national and international markets,
the report says. The industry includes production of fish for human
food, ornamental fish for aquariums and recreational fish that are
stocked in private and public ponds and lakes.
Raised for food are such fish and shellfish as
yellow perch, hybrid striped bass, tilapia, trout, marine shrimp and
freshwater prawns. Sport fish include catfish, largemouth bass,
smallmouth bass and sunfish such as bluegill.
The study measured the significance of the
industry in 2012 in several ways, including the total income of $3.7
million earned by 169 people employed in aquaculture, their $101,506 in
income taxes and $877,908 in sales taxes the industry generated for
Indiana.
The study was funded by Purdue Extension,
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and the Indiana Soybean Alliance and was
conducted in cooperation with the Indiana Aquaculture Association.
The soybean alliance has recognized aquaculture
as "the next major new market for soybeans" and has an initiative to
help the industry continue its growth in Indiana, according to the
report. It says that 1 percent of the U.S. soybean crop is used in
aquaculture as fish feed and that soybean meal is the top protein
ingredient in fish feeds worldwide.
Indiana soybean and corn farmers could benefit
from a growing aquaculture industry, the report notes. They likely would
see increased demand for soybeans and corn as well as higher prices for
them.
"Even though the farmers would continue to
produce their products if the aquaculture industry were not present, the
advantage of having a local marketing opportunity is very important,"
the report says.
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