[Sc-aquaponics] Aquaponics Design Software

Wed Apr 29 16:08:04 EDT 2015

Note the link to the Aquaponics Decision Software reported in this newsletter.  While the software was designed for Hawaiian operations, I'm sure it can be of use to others as well.
Laura

Laura Tiu, PhD Aquaculture Extension Specialist
740-289-2071 x.121 Office | 800-297-2072 x. 121 Office
tiu.2 at osu.edu<mailto:tiu.2 at osu.edu>

AQUACONTACTS
MAIL GROUP NEWS
April 29, 2015

[http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/offices/images/usda_nifa_h_cmyk_300.jpg]

Regional e-Notes ~  April 2015

Vol 7, Issue 4

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Letter from the Director

Aloha & Happy Earth Month!

As we celebrate our beautiful planet this month, I would like to share some thoughts on my recent trip to Palau. Much has changed since I was last there over a year ago. A rapid influx of tourists from China has increased demand on the already limited supply of resources on this remote island, jeopardizing food security and causing a dramatic rise in food costs. For example, the price of mangrove crabs (a local favorite) has jumped from $6 per pound one year ago to $18 per pound today! Thankfully, the government, resource managers, and people of Palau desire to sustainably build capacity and infrastructure, and become a model for eco-tourism and agri-tourism.

A recently completed CTSA project led by Miguel Delos Santos established a mangrove crab hatchery at Palau Community College; the hatchery supplies crablets to local farmers, including a popular resort. In addition to harvesting crabs for their restaurant, the resort incorporates aquaculture education into their property tours, providing guests with an agri-tourism experience. Under another ongoing CTSA project, Miguel is establishing a rabbitfish hatchery and farming technology. Wild populations of both species, which are arguably the most popular seafoods in Palau, are dwindling. Aquaculture holds great promise to help restore them and increase local supply.

Other countries are attracted to Palau's pristine environment and are investing in local aquaculture, building infrastructure for milkfish, grouper, shrimp and marine ornamental farming. They are working together with village communities to ensure that each business benefits both parties. Farms share their harvests with villages, and schools bring students to the farms and hatcheries to learn about aquaculture first hand. The communities are ready and waiting for training programs to build local human resource capacity.

Palau's aquaculture industry is in its infancy; this is the most essential time to set the right course for its development. CTSA and our partners have a unique opportunity to help preserve the beautiful environment of the island nation and at the same time, grow the economy and increase food security. We can only achieve this through teamwork, and I look forward to future collaboration with our partners in the region.

Mahalo,
Cheng-Sheng Lee
Executive Director, CTSA

In This Issue

Letter from the Director

Aquaponics Decision Software Available for Free Download

April AquaClip

Comments, Questions?

Click here to email us<mailto:mbrooks at ctsa.org>!

Quick Links

www.ctsa.org <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LLqUCrvBkf2cRSmoCGJUYpRVcAc8Y-lWuy3JXR09YBs2CsMoBlku6pQirzJ137h98VNZEhnfAV5wS2mIj-S2WPZ9oKfbjvntnybe7n8dJ61C2CPykI8RZtp93GRtY_-oKc-gyHNgGjRHIMMNyLRO3QrUXye9oaxy7bPALWRa8CA=&c=tlAxn3PUcAOM58xxRH-wZa1Kbz652eGsTk4YVOeduN-ZP1UfcXwk2A==&ch=iCNJUH211TyXFawKt0mvr9Gh8o2Z7el47BqM1CL9HWgxsCrCNFBqIw==>
www.oceanicinstitute.org<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LLqUCrvBkf2cRSmoCGJUYpRVcAc8Y-lWuy3JXR09YBs2CsMoBlku6pQirzJ137h9PxWFnejNkFQ7YHBws5R2xlUoVCM1T4DCXqGOlKApJbIoPF-TIwi7IXMKcZBg9GQfCgK1f6lX0Bp9W7CEySyZaofuvw4dsVa4lbABSa9Ezu3IvSOr16kf6Q==&c=tlAxn3PUcAOM58xxRH-wZa1Kbz652eGsTk4YVOeduN-ZP1UfcXwk2A==&ch=iCNJUH211TyXFawKt0mvr9Gh8o2Z7el47BqM1CL9HWgxsCrCNFBqIw==>

Join our Mailing List!<http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?m=1102801646504>

Download Free 'Aquaponics Decision Software' to Assist in Farm Management and Planning

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/8a3b914c001/3caece40-b7ff-4c6d-925e-23767ecf0d7e.jpg]

We are pleased to announce the release of Aquaponics Decision Software<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LLqUCrvBkf2cRSmoCGJUYpRVcAc8Y-lWuy3JXR09YBs2CsMoBlku6qPuw21JGwQN1xe_PWtLjjuei6do4xO1sAnW3AL1MWWKdc6ibrlcOZa7w8Wh1HHBbktqrEzI7UtwEfmk3_8TOI1-bjS_Ssa2cqjiJmY84CwGxt-Z2uDdYCJ614Mj-9wR4NhdLb6qVFFXB867ckNDPPTzwl4zzMrL7MYdV_ojWsrvUognR7mCxcF-_JJpwa-Kjg==&c=tlAxn3PUcAOM58xxRH-wZa1Kbz652eGsTk4YVOeduN-ZP1UfcXwk2A==&ch=iCNJUH211TyXFawKt0mvr9Gh8o2Z7el47BqM1CL9HWgxsCrCNFBqIw==>, a commercial aquaponics spreadsheet modeling system created under the auspices of the CTSA-funded project "Economic Analyses of Aquaponics Systems in Hawaii and Guam." The purpose of this generalized spreadsheet modeling system is to provide a user-friendly tool that can be utilized by existing and potential aquaponics producers as an on-farm decision aid, and by extension and research personnel to identify key areas where operations can be improved in order to sustain the profitability of aquaponics production.

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/8a3b914c001/a9e89d5d-ffab-4f4a-b7f3-137339910337.jpg]

The software is intended to help farmers calculate operational costs and farm output.

While backyard aquaponics has become more common in recent years as a way to supply fish and vegetables for household consumption, several commercial-scale aquaponics farms have started operations in Hawaii. The economics of these operations have been unclear to this point, thus the primary purpose of the nearly-completed CTSA project is to determine the economic feasibility of commercial aquaponics farming in Hawaii and Guam.

Led by project P.I. Dr. PingSun Leung, researchers first conducted comprehensive economic analysis of existing commercial farms in Hawaii and Guam. Based on that data, they calculated investment and operational cost and created a model case to investigate economic feasibility of the system. They then constructed a prototype generalized spreadsheet modeling system based off the simple spreadsheet used to conduct the primary analyses of aquaponics farms. Stakeholder input was obtained and utilized to refine the software, which is available for free download on the CTSA website (click here<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LLqUCrvBkf2cRSmoCGJUYpRVcAc8Y-lWuy3JXR09YBs2CsMoBlku6qPuw21JGwQN1xe_PWtLjjuei6do4xO1sAnW3AL1MWWKdc6ibrlcOZa7w8Wh1HHBbktqrEzI7UtwEfmk3_8TOI1-bjS_Ssa2cqjiJmY84CwGxt-Z2uDdYCJ614Mj-9wR4NhdLb6qVFFXB867ckNDPPTzwl4zzMrL7MYdV_ojWsrvUognR7mCxcF-_JJpwa-Kjg==&c=tlAxn3PUcAOM58xxRH-wZa1Kbz652eGsTk4YVOeduN-ZP1UfcXwk2A==&ch=iCNJUH211TyXFawKt0mvr9Gh8o2Z7el47BqM1CL9HWgxsCrCNFBqIw==>).

Results from the careful analyses of existing aquaponics farms in Hawaii conducted during the first part of this project indicate that commercial scale aquaponics can be economically feasible. Going forward, the spreadsheet can serve as a useful tool for farmers, extension and research personnel to maximize the productivity of aquaponics in the Pacific region.

[http://files.ctctcdn.com/8a3b914c001/e926dcb2-bc4f-4566-aef7-ee084942af0a.jpg]

Screenshot of the Aquaponics Decision Software homepage.

AquaClip ~ New Association Pushes For EU Approval of Insects in Feed

by AquaFeed.com staff. April 16, 2015

European legislation should be adapted to allow insect products as a sustainable and innovative source of animal proteins for food consumption and animal feed. Insect producers issued this call on Monday in Brussels, where they came together to formally establish IPIFF, the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed.

"Our planet faces huge challenges because of the growing population and increasing competition for scarce resources, and we believe that insects are part of the solution", said IPIFF's president Antoine Hubert. "That's why we joined forces to create IPIFF, so that we can speak to the EU institutions and partners from the food & feed chain with one voice. As a pivotal actor in this process we will strive to make insect protein available to EU farmers, companies and consumers."

The current EU legislation is not tailored to insect proteins specificities. This lack of legal certainty is jeopardising the investments and production plans of companies, thus restricting the availability of this promising source of protein for EU farmers & customers.

In the EU, insect companies mainly produce for pet food. However, the potential for insect meal is huge, especially for the aquaculture feed sector. IPIFF is asking for the revision of the EU feed legislation in order to allow insect products reared on 100% vegetables substrates to be used as sources of proteins for aquaculture, poultry and pigs.

"Production techniques have been developed in recent years and are now being deployed at industrial scale by companies which comply with stringent risk management procedures. Insect derived products can therefore be used in nutritional and functional feed applications at competitive prices, whilst complying with EU highest standards in terms of food & feed safety", said IPIFF's vice-president Tarique Arsiwalla.

Click here to read the full article.<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LLqUCrvBkf2cRSmoCGJUYpRVcAc8Y-lWuy3JXR09YBs2CsMoBlku6qPuw21JGwQNtEBOkA94d2ABuJ3xtvaUHekx7R1UJWeb_aMSg6Agbv3asho_xEqOY_4xSrJIccRVkBBQ5s-roDHe27kNIbf-XN39K8niTfg0VaacajjrfQS1McY_4aq7sgsyUJ5hT7mUC1Y5A_zF79XCTh1OqBZwXKu0Q3kalli2UUgFzIKy5SYhyH_Wwx6KIXvMkIZGp4pCnlKqlSBajsP60BeKSWB9bIdC83H2ePylNx271RJvqqE=&c=tlAxn3PUcAOM58xxRH-wZa1Kbz652eGsTk4YVOeduN-ZP1UfcXwk2A==&ch=iCNJUH211TyXFawKt0mvr9Gh8o2Z7el47BqM1CL9HWgxsCrCNFBqIw==>

The Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) is one of five regional aquaculture centers in the United States established and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under active grants 2010-38500-20948, 2012-38500-19566, and 2014-38500-22241. The regional aquaculture centers integrate individual and institutional expertise and resources in support of commercial aquaculture development. CTSA was established in 1986 and is jointly administered by the Oceanic Institute and the University of Hawaii.

Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture | 41-202 Kalaniana'ole Highway | Waimanalo | HI | 96795

Regards,

Max Mayeaux

****************************************
Maxwell H. Mayeaux, Ph.D.
Aquaculture Program Specialist
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Waterfront Center, Room 3413
800 9th St. SW
Washigton, DC  20024
(202) 401-3352
mmayeaux at nifa.usda.gov<mailto:mmayeaux at nifa.usda.gov>
*****************************************
Feeding the Hungry Leads to World Peace

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