IFAS FA-4, Raceway Production of Warm-Water Fish

IFAS# FA-4

Raceway Production of Warm-Water Fish

Michael McGee and Charles Cichra

Opening Paragraph:
Many who are interested in commercial fish farming strike upon the idea of raising catfish or other warm-water species in raceways. This idea seems appealing because yields per unit of growing area may be theoretically increased and the need for large ponds eliminated or reduced. While the thought process that leads one to this conclusion is sound, there are other factors which make the raceway culture of warm-water fish a rather risky, and as yet an economically unproven venture. Nevertheless, interest in the use of raceways or other similar intensive systems remains high and those who are trying to evaluate the pros and cons often find a scarcity of information on which to base their decisions. There are sometimes unique situations where raceway systems may be practical and profitable. The general operating characteristics of raceways and related intensive systems are described below.

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