The economic effects of the implementation of regulations on aquaculture farms in the United States, while of concern, are not well understood. A national survey was conducted of salmonid (trout and salmon) farms in 17 states of the United States to measure on‐farm regulatory costs and to identify which regulations were the most costly to this industry segment. The response rate was 63%, with a coverage rate of 94.5% of the U.S. production of salmonids. The regulatory system resulted in increased national on‐farm costs of $16.1 million/year, lost markets with a sales value of $7.1 million/year, lost production of $5.3 million/year, and thwarted expansion attempts estimated at $40.1 million/year. Mean farm regulatory costs were $150,506/farm annually, or $2.71/kg; lost markets with annual sales values of $66,274/farm; annual lost production of $49,064/farm; and an annual value of thwarted expansion attempts estimated at $375,459/farm. Smaller‐scale farms were affected to a disproportionately greater negative extent than larger‐scale farms. Per‐farm regulatory costs were, on average, greater for foodfish producers than for producers selling to recreational markets, but per‐kg regulatory costs were greater for those selling to recreational compared to foodfish markets. Regulatory costs constituted 12% of total production and marketing costs on U.S. salmonid farms. The greatest regulatory costs were found to be effluent discharge regulations. The majority of regulatory costs were fixed costs, but regulatory barriers to expansion precluded compensatory adjustments to the business in spite of growing demand for salmonid products. Results of this study show that the on‐farm regulatory cost burden is substantial and has negatively affected the U.S. salmonid industry's ability to respond to strong demand for U.S. farm‐raised salmonid products. Results also suggest that the regulatory system has contributed to the decline in the number of U.S. salmonid farms. While regulations will necessarily have some degree of cost to farms, the magnitude of the on‐farm regulatory cost burden on U.S. salmonid farms calls for concerted efforts to identify and implement innovative regulatory monitoring and compliance frameworks that reduce the on‐farm regulatory cost burden.
The U.S. trout industry is a mature, stable industry. Production of market-size rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, averaged 25,000 metric tons per year between 1988 and 1999, with a range from 23,600 to 27,300 metric tons per year. Trout growers reported total sales in 1999 of $76.9 million, compared with an average value of $71.7 million ex-farm between 1988 and 1999. Total sales include food fish, fish for stocking, fingerlings, and eggs. Market-size fish (> 30 cm and 340 g) comprised 84% of total sales in 1999.The challenge for the trout industry is to at least maintain current production and possibly expand. Where can this growth come from? Additional growth can result from value-added products and increased productivity of existing operations. This paper will discuss the challenges faced by the trout industry, specifically, the market-size sector as it looks to expand, and suggest possible solutions that address these challenges.Freshwater availability and environmental constraints, including effluent limitations and public concerns about environmental impacts, are the primary obstacles toward industry expansion. Given water quality and quantity requirements for trout, development of new facilities, based on current production techniques, is limited. Therefore, additional production must come from existing operations through greater intensification and increased efficiency. Development of improved strains, high-performance feeds, vaccines for disease control, and new production technologies will provide the potential for increased production.Value-added products increase revenues without requiring increased production. Product development and marketing will be key to product diversification and sales. Consumers increasingly demand convenient products that are quickly and easily prepared. Marketing efforts will need to focus on perceived value, brand identification, promotion, and service.
In this study, 318 bacterial strains were isolated from the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of 29 rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum). These bacteria were screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit growth of Flavobacterium psychrophilum, the causative agent of coldwater disease. Bacteria observed to inhibit F. psychrophilum growth were further screened against rainbow trout bile, as an indicator of their ability to survive in the GI tract. This screening resulted in narrowing the pool to 24 bacterial isolates. Those 24 isolates were then tested for pathogenicity in rainbow trout by intraperitoneal injection. Following a 28-day challenge, eight isolates were shown to cause direct mortality and were eliminated from further study. As a result, 16 bacterial isolates were identified as probiotic candidates with the potential to control or reduce disease caused by F. psychrophilum.
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