Do cod grow. Is farmed fish a dangerous product? So what exactly is dangerous in artificially grown fish and seafood

23.10.202227.05.2017

For reference:

The richest in vitamins, minerals and omega-3 acids are marine fish: pink salmon, chum salmon, cod, haddock, horse mackerel, pollock. Of particular importance in the human diet are fatty fish species: salmon, herring, mackerel. River fish - carp, carp, bream, crucian carp, perch, pike - are also rich in vitamins and minerals, but inferior in fat content to sea fish.

The smell of fresh fish is slightly sweet, but not too fishy or muddy. Although some varieties of river fish (for example, catfish) can give off “mud”. To get rid of such a “flavor”, the fish is specially washed in cold salty water.

Do not disregard the fins: they should fit snugly to the body and not be intertwined. If the storage conditions have not been met, the fins will be placed unnaturally and may also be damaged.

The tail of a good fish should be straight, not curled up or dry. The abdomen is flat, not swollen, without spots. If a gutted fish is lowered into water, it should drown. This suggests that you were sold really good fish. If it surfaced belly up, you bought a low-quality product.

When buying a chilled fish fillet, pay attention to how it is cut. The pieces should be even, and in appearance it should be dense.

Sardines (Sardinops sagax).

Tilapia (Tilapia).

Squid (Teuthida).

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With this material, we continue the series of translated articles by Daniel Knowland (self-translated), scientific consultant Jamie Oliver on nutrition. Another essay is devoted to the topic of fish and how it is grown and harvested in modern conditions, which fish is useful and which is harmful, and how to choose it correctly. The second part of the post is information on the same topic, in particular, about the situation in Russia, it is from other sources (list of references at the end of the post).

Artificial breeding of fish - all the pros and cons To date, in the UK, a huge amount of fish and seafood is grown in artificial conditions. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that, strictly speaking, any livestock products are not completely natural, but humanity can no longer do without breeding farm animals.
Modern society sets new standards for food consumption, and manufacturers have to reckon with them. In this regard, there was a need for artificial breeding of fish. In this article, we will look at the positive and negative aspects of this activity. Why is it necessary to breed fish? On the globe, there are still such corners where the main source of food is wild plants and the meat of wild animals and birds. However, this is no longer the case in developed countries. Berries, mushrooms, hare or venison - these are, perhaps, all types of "not grown" products that can be found on the menu of a modern person. We are used to the fact that meat, poultry, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, grains are mainly produced by agricultural enterprises. With fish and seafood, the situation is somewhat different. Our table includes both commercial (naturally caught) fish and artificially grown fish. As the world's population grows, so does the demand for foods rich in protein and, at the same time, affordable. And the word "ocean" is increasingly associated with such concepts as "overfishing", "endangered fish species", "environmental security". Indeed, as a result of many years of irresponsible attitude of the fishing industries in many countries to the environment, the populations of some representatives of the marine fauna have been significantly reduced. Today, there is an active fight against overfishing. In addition, programs are being implemented to help buyers choose fish from sustainable sources. The most well-known organization in this area is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). However, despite some progress, human activity continues to cause significant damage to the ecosystem of the oceans. The populations of commercial fish continue to decline. This is especially true of cod, haddock and tuna, which are beloved by buyers. As an alternative to traditional fishing, artificial fish farming (another name for this activity is “aquaculture”) has been actively developing over the past few decades. Artificial fish farming, in itself , is not a new phenomenon. But now in this area there is a real boom. And new methods and technologies can significantly reduce the degree of negative impact on the environment when using this method. What types of fish and seafood are grown in marine farms? Salmon, rainbow trout, sea bass, bream, pangasius (often called bass or river catfish), shrimp are the most common types of farmed fish and seafood. It is believed that today in developed countries about half of all consumed fish and seafood is grown in fish farms. In supermarkets and restaurants in the UK, you will most likely buy or offer farmed salmon. Commercial salmon is much rarer on sale, and it will cost much more.

What is artificial fish farming? As a rule, the process of artificial breeding is as follows: 1. With the help of selection, a parent individual is selected that is most suitable for artificial breeding. Fish eggs are placed in small tanks. The grown fry are then transferred to larger tanks. There is feeding of fry, which are under constant supervision. 3. When the fry reach a weight of about 150 grams, they are transferred to large ponds or fenced areas in the sea (such as those shown in the picture above). 4. Further, the fish receives concentrated food until it reaches the desired weight. During the entire time, the condition of the fish is constantly monitored, often using underwater cameras. When the desired weight is reached, the fish is sent to processing factories for subsequent gutting and packaging. Do all types of farmed fish have similar consumer properties? It is difficult to find two absolutely identical livestock farms. The same can be said about fish farms. Each manufacturer has its own standards to ensure favorable conditions for keeping fish. Each farm uses its own methods to reduce the harmful impact on the environment. However, the lack of uniform standards significantly complicates the life of buyers. Produced with care for the environment, eggs, chicken meat and pork have long ceased to be a rarity on store shelves. Products with the labels "Red Tractor", "RSPCA Approved" (RSPCA Approved), "free-range meat" and "organic products" are widely represented. As for artificially grown fish and seafood, we still do not have such a choice. Nevertheless, despite the lack of clear guidelines for choosing fish (for example, salmon), there is still some help for the buyer. There are various programs and organizations whose goal is to reduce the negative impact of fish farms on the environment. Some of them are listed below:

RSPCA Assured. This program mainly checks the conditions of keeping fish.
Global G.A.P. Products with this label are tested for compliance with food safety and environmental standards. Also, the presence of a program certificate guarantees that the products are obtained from trusted manufacturers.

"Best Aquaculture Practices" and "Fish Farms Board of Trustees"

(Aquaculture Stewardship Council) are comprehensive programs. Their goal is to reduce the negative impact on the environment, ensure the environmentally sound and sustainable use of natural resources and improve food safety.

Association of manufacturers of pure organic products (Soil Association / Organic). This organization deals mainly with environmental impact and the use of only organic fertilizers in agriculture.

Many UK retailers join one or more of the programs listed above. In this way, supermarkets demonstrate that they support sustainable food production. How safe is fish farming in terms of environmental impact? Salmon farming in large volumes has been taken up by fish farms not so long ago: over the past few decades. However, the development of the industry has gone at a rapid pace. And it was not immediately possible to fully realize the degree of impact of such activities on the environment and human health. Over the past years, fish farms have made many mistakes. And the mistakes made did not reflect in the best way on their reputation. Cases of escape of fish from cages are known. The result was the crossing of artificially bred and wild individuals. Other side effects include pollution of the sea and underwater currents, use of unsustainable fish food, drug overdose, and use of questionable chemicals. The industry is far from perfect. However, the mistakes of the past have not been in vain, and fish farms are undergoing major changes. New technologies have come to the rescue. Now it is possible to observe the behavior of fish and collect data on the state of the environment. Robotic systems monitor the optimal level of fish feeding and oxygen content in the water. Much remains to be done to minimize the damage that fish farms cause to the ecosystems of nearby areas. For example, there is an opinion that artificial breeding of fish in inland waters (i.e. in specially built on land reservoirs) does not cause much damage to the environment. Therefore, the negative consequences of the activities of such fish farms often go unnoticed. Feed quality is of great importance for environmentally friendly fish farming. Large fish, such as salmon, feed on smaller fish in nature. Therefore, in fish farms, salmon is fed mainly with fish protein and fish oil. This food is made from wild fish. The quality of farmed salmon directly depends on how environmentally friendly the fish it feeds on is. The development of new technologies makes it possible to reduce the proportion of commercial fish in the feed. This makes it possible to use marine resources more efficiently.

What kind of fish should you buy? A variety of organic products in the diet is the key to a conscious approach to nutrition. We always recommend including fish and seafood of various types in the diet. Don't stop at one type of fish. Farmed fish and seafood such as salmon, haddock or shrimp are best purchased from a reputable source. It will not be superfluous to ask if there is a certificate for the products. Some supermarkets require a certification (such as RSPCA Approved) for salmon products. For Jamie Oliver's restaurants and stores, we always source fish from personally vetted vendors. Or we choose products whose quality is confirmed by trustworthy certificates.
The end of the translation of D. Knowland's article. Now let's turn to the Russian market The situation on the Russian market has changed dramatically with the imposition of sanctions: before they were introduced, 84% (!!!) of red fish consumed was Norwegian salmon. Now the situation has changed: from abroad we are supplied with goods from Asia (mainly telapia and pangasius), the source of salmon is the Faroe Islands and Chile; pollock, cod, haddock, catfish, sockeye salmon and a small share of salmon come from the Far East and the Barents Sea. Only our domestic fish is commercial, caught in the sea. The rest of the fish is the result of artificial breeding or a product of “aquaculture”. Why is only our fish commercial? The answer is very simple: it's just that our country has not yet had special equipment and technologies for fish farming. Now, with the imposition of sanctions, farms that breed salmon on an industrial scale (for example, the Murmansk Salmon brand of the Russian Sea company) are beginning to appear, which purchase full production cycles (equipment, feed, medicines) in Norway. The first harvest of 4 thousand tons of marketable salmon under the Murmansk Salmon brand in the Barents Sea began in June this year and will end in October. Next year the company plans to receive 10,000 tons of fish. By 2018-2020, it plans to produce 25,000 tons of salmon. We emphasize once again that all equipment for the full cycle of fish breeding, including feed, is purchased in Norway.

So what is the problem with "aquaculture"? And everything would be fine, but too often lately voices have been heard that claim that artificial breeding of fish is carried out with huge violations.

In the same way that Europeans used to raise cattle with high doses of antibiotics, they now raise fish. Not only antibiotics are used, but also pesticides, which are designed to clean up excessively polluted reservoirs (link to the French film-study at the end of the post). To believe it or not is a personal matter for everyone. But nutritionists still urge to buy "wild" fish if possible, if there is no complete confidence in the supplier of aquaculture fish. It turns out that from the point of view of modern nutrition, our domestic commercial fish can still potentially bring more health benefits.

But, even "wild" fish can be harmful to health. Recent studies show that even the meat of commercial fish is often contaminated with chemical toxic substances: industrial enterprises actively release mercury, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxin and other pollutants into the environment, which enter the water, and then through the food chain into fish. PCBs ( polychlorinated biphenyls): belong to the group of persistent organic pollutants, the monitoring of which in air, water and soil is mandatory in developed industrial countries due to their high danger to the environment and public health.
PCBs were first produced in the United States by Monsanto in 1929. These are oily liquids that are not flammable and do not conduct electricity, but conduct heat well. PCBs are resistant to acids and alkalis.

Due to these properties, they are widely used as dielectrics in transformers and capacitors, as coolants in heat exchange systems, in hydraulic engineering, are part of plasticizers, paints, varnishes, lubricating oils, plastics, carbon paper, additives in household chemicals. PCB production has almost completely ceased worldwide. In 2001, the majority of European countries signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants for the speedy environmentally safe disposal of these substances. The parties to this convention have assumed obligations to completely neutralize the PCBs available in their countries by 2028.

The best thing you can do for your health is to eat smaller fish instead of medium and large fish (older and larger ones usually contain more harmful substances) and shellfish, which are less likely to contain harmful substances. In the US, the Department of Conservation and the Environmental Protection Fund regularly publish data on the content of chemicals harmful to human health in various types of popular seafood. In Russia, such monitoring does not exist. The following is a list of fish species in the waters of the world's oceans according to the degree of contamination with mercury and PCBs. It is recommended to completely avoid: - Striped wild bass - Bonito (!!!) - American eel - King mackerel - Shark - Wild sturgeon (!!!) - Swordfish - Common tuna (!!!) times a month): - Summer and winter flounder - Yellow perch - Bighead - Bigeye tuna Use moderately (less than 2 times a month): - Sea bass (aquaculture object, only this one is on sale in Russia, irina_co) Toothed greenling - King mackerel - Salmon (aquaculture product) - Sea spotted trout - Red snapper Eat more often (but less than 3 times a month): - Redtail snapper - Atlantic sturgeon - Blackfin tuna - Longfin tuna, canned - Yellowfin tuna Eat most often (4 times a month): - Anchovies - Catfish - Bivalve molluscs - Cod (Atlantic) - Crabs - Lobsters - Haddock - Halibut - Herring - Lobsters - Atlantic mackerel - Dorado - Mussels - Oysters - Saithe - Sardines - Wild salmon - Scallops - Shrimps - Sole tongue - Squid - Tilapia - Trout - Muksun and others e whitefishUnfortunately, we in Russia have not yet created similar lists of the degree of safety of different types of fish, so there is simply nowhere to find out about the level of content in fish of a particular toxic substance. The analyzes of the Roskontrol organization so far concern only the grade and volume of ice added to frozen products. Black Sea flounder Kalkan:

Fishing in the Barents Sea:

Sources: 1. On PCB contamination of fish: Bret Blumenthal. A year well lived. 52 steps to a healthy lifestyle. Moscow. 2016. p. 215.2. About fish imported into the territory of the Russian Federation, about domestic aquaculture: About farm salmon: "Fish of mass destruction": a link to a film by French journalists Nicolas Daniel and Louis de Baiberac _____________________________________

“…NORWEGIAN SALMON IS THE MOST TOXIC FOOD IN THE WORLD…”- movie quote

The film is 50 minutes long, but by watching it you will learn more about the many aspects of eating artificial fish imported from Asia and Norway. Most likely, you will not regret these 50 minutes spent. We are planning to make a synopsis for this film in the near future due to the fact that the information covered in the film is very important and little known. We managed to find this video in the "wilds" of the Internet with great difficulty:

What kind of fish is not grown artificially on farms?

Fish that is not artificially grown on farms and is not stuffed with antibiotics, growth stimulants, dyes, but is caught from natural reservoirs, seas, oceans - these are pollock, catfish, flounder, perch, saffron cod, pink salmon, cod, sockeye salmon, saury, herring, chum salmon . The diet of fish grown artificially is poor, they do not have plankton and shrimp in their menu, which naturally affects the quality of the fish.

Cod is grown on a large scale in Norway!

A lot of cod in Russia from there, be careful

They do not artificially grow on farms the well-known and beloved fish with such a cute name - HERRING.

At least, I have not found information anywhere that herring is grown artificially. It turns out that this particular fish is less dangerous for our body than salmon, salmon, carp, dorado, pangasius and telapia. And this is only a part of those fish that are grown artificially.

When choosing fish, nutritionists advise buying one that has not been grown in fish farms. Such fish include: cod, saury, herring, pollock, pink salmon.

Such fish are considered more useful, because, unlike their more well-fed relatives, they were not stuffed with GMO feed and / or antibiotics.

By the way, as an alternative, many summer residents are engaged in growing fish in nearby water bodies. Particularly well suited for such purposes is crucian carp, which can adapt and breed well in almost any water. Telapia grow well in captivity. Farm-raised fish is better to buy infrequently.

The site helps to choose fish and seafood that are the least contaminated with heavy metals. It is also intended for those who prefer to eat food that does not harm the environment, so some types of fish for which there is no medical data are mentioned there simply because their farming does not harm the environment. Be careful and look for information about the degree of infection!

Upd: For readers from Russia: this site contains not only American information, it also mentions many types of fish that are caught in Russia. By default, the fish of the Russian catch is considered to be more contaminated, because Russia does not comply with international standards and does not allow inspectors, but in this case it is the breed that decides, so if the fish does not accumulate mercury, then it will not accumulate in Russia either.

Translate breed name: Russian-English-Hebrew.

Types of fish you can eat:

Anchovies, northern (Engraulis mordax), European (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Japanese (Engraulis japonicus).

Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), except grown in the Indo-Pacific region.
Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) grown in the USA.
Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), not made in China.
Rock Lobster (Panulirus interruptus), only from California or Baja, Mexico City.
American lobster (Homarus americanus)
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus).
Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus).
Sardines (Sardinops sagax).
Pagra, she is also a sea bream, she is also a tai (Pagrus pagrus).
Salmon (Salmo salar) wild, from Alaska. Farmed salmon, as well as wild salmon from Washington, are contaminated with PCBs and are dangerous to eat more than once a month, and less often they are simply unhealthy.
Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus).
Tilapia (Tilapia).
Bivalve clams (Mya arenaria) grown in the USA.
Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) grown in the USA.
Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) farmed in the USA.
Sea scallops (Argopecten irradians).
Pink shrimps (Pandalus jordani).
Squid (Teuthida).

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus). The site advises eating it, but in this case I cannot agree with the site - according to my information, not everything is so simple with cod.

Danzhdenessky crab (Cancer magister). Infected with PCBs.
Tuna light (Katsuwonus pelamis). Mercury contamination, although less than in other types of tuna.
White halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis). Medium contamination with mercury.
Black sea bass (Centropristis striata). Medium contamination with mercury.
Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus). Medium contamination with mercury.
Monkfish (Lophius piscatorius). mercury contamination.
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Infection of PCBs.
Sea tongue (Parophrys vetula). Medium infection of PCBs.
The stingray (Leucoraja ocellata). Medium contamination with mercury.
Yellowtail Cuban (Ocyurus chrysurus). Medium contamination with mercury.
Large-headed snapper (Vermilion snapper). Medium contamination with mercury.
Lucian, various (Lutjanidae). Medium contamination with mercury.
Coal fish (Anoplopoma fimbria). Medium contamination with mercury.
Sea bass - rockfish. Medium contamination with mercury.
Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus). Medium contamination with mercury.

Fish that contain a large amount of hazardous substances (species are arranged as harmful substances increase):

Hohlach, aka tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps). High levels of mercury.

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). High levels of mercury.
Tuna white albacore. High levels of mercury.
Oysters (Crassostrea virginica). High infection rate of PCBs.
Murena (Conger conger). High levels of mercury.
Sea eel (Conger oceanicus). High levels of mercury.
Sheep snapper (Lutjanus analis). High levels of mercury.
Grouper (Epinephelus). High levels of mercury.
Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri). High levels of mercury.
Gray croaker, croaker, spotted croaker (Cynoscion nebulosus). High levels of both mercury and PCBs.
Marcel Spanish (Scomberomorus maculatus). High levels of mercury.
Toothed greenling (Ophiodon elongatus). High levels of mercury.
Blue swimming crab (Callinectes sapidus). High levels of both mercury and PCBs.
Toothfish Chilean Patagonian. High levels of mercury.
Large-headed orange (Hoplostethus atlanticus). High levels of mercury.
Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus). Very high levels of mercury.
Farm-raised salmon (Salmo salar). Very high infection rate of PCBs, it is dangerous to eat more than once a month.
Salmon (Salmo salar), wild, from Washington. Very high infection rate of PCBs, it is dangerous to eat more than once a month.
Red-finned opah (Lampris guttatus). Very high levels of mercury.
American Flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus). Very high infection rate of PCBs, it is dangerous to eat more than once a month.
Summer toothed flounder (Paralichthys dentatus). Very high infection rate of PCBs, it is dangerous to eat more than once a month.
Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus). Very high infection rate of PCBs, it is dangerous to eat more than once a month.

Never eat the following types of fish, they are very dangerous (types are arranged as harmful substances increase):

Swordfish. Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.

Shark. Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.
Marlin (Makaira). Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.
Common tuna (Thunnus thynnus). Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.
Royal mackerel (Scomberomorus cavalla). Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.
Gray croaker (Cynoscion regalis). Contains hazardous amounts of mercury and PCBs.
Sturgeon. Contains hazardous amounts of mercury and PCBs.
Shed (Alosa sapidissima). Contains a dangerous amount of PCBs.
European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Contains a dangerous amount of PCBs.
American eel. Contains hazardous amounts of mercury and PCBs.
White croaker (Genyonemus lineatus). Contains a dangerous amount of PCBs.
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). Contains hazardous amounts of mercury and PCBs.
Striped perch, American (Morone saxatilis). Contains hazardous amounts of mercury and PCBs.
Greyback, Elevaif (Alosa pseudoharengus). Contains a dangerous amount of PCBs.

As far as I know, there are no similar lists in Russian (at least not on such a scale and not from such an authoritative source), so the dissemination of information is strongly encouraged.

I try to eat exclusively plant foods, but I cannot refuse fish and seafood. I love them very much, and therefore I am offended and scared to read about the fact that in reality the fish can be not only not useful, but also extremely dangerous. To reduce the health risks that may arise from eating fish and seafood, you need to follow a few rules.

2. Unfortunately, not everything is in order with wild fish either. Today, the oceans and seas are extremely polluted and radioactive, and fish absorb toxic and radioactive substances that are dangerous to human health. Most of them accumulate in large fish. These hazardous substances include, for example, heavy metals and mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin that causes memory loss, vision loss, cardiovascular disease, etc. Doctors strongly advise pregnant women to avoid products containing mercury, as it causes mental retardation, deafness, blindness and cerebral palsy in children.

Here is a list of fish that should be avoided altogether as they contain the highest levels of mercury: marlin, tilefish, swordfish (my husband's weakness that caused him to have high mercury levels), shark, king mackerel, bigeye tuna, and yellowfin tuna.

Fish from the following list can also be eaten in small portions no more than 6 times a month: striped bass and black bass, carp, Pacific cod, white croaker, Pacific and Atlantic halibut, lobster, dorado, monkfish, freshwater bass, sable fish, stingray, snapper, gray croaker, skipjack tuna.

Finally, it is recommended to eat fish from this list no more than twice a week (serving 180 grams): anchovy, butterfish, catfish, bivalves, crabs, crayfish, croaker, haddock, hake, herring, Atlantic mackerel and Japanese mackerel, mullet, oysters, river and sea flounder, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimp, sole, squid, telapia, freshwater trout, "white" fish, hake.

3. When cooking fish, keep in mind that toxic substances are mainly found in fat, and it is better to choose cooking methods that involve rendering fat, such as grilling.

4. Avoid canned fish and any industrially processed fish. I hope I don't need to explain why.

5. I am also often asked about sushi, because there is an opinion that this is a very healthy food. However, in the light of the foregoing, it is clear that this is not the case. And one more thing: the combination of fish and rice (especially processed white rice) is very bad for digestion, so sushi or rolls are the wrong choice in a Japanese restaurant. Better choose sashimi - if you are not afraid of radiation and mercury))).

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Why the Far Eastern red fish swims abroad, and we are fed with Chinese mutants

This year, for the first time in 100 years, the waters of the Far Eastern seas of Russia were simply teeming with salmon. But almost all of them slipped from the hands of our consumers - for export. Russian pollock comes to us through the Chinese border - it returns poisoned and expensive. Instead of native salmon and pink salmon on the table of Russians, imports are artificially grown in dirty reservoirs. Why does our best fish go over the hill and why is broiler salmon dangerous?

Scientists predicted a "harvest" of valuable Pacific fish, but they did not even think about such a scale. In Russia, a century-long record for the catch of salmon has been set - 253 thousand tons! It would seem that here it is, a gold mine: the country is provided with a tasty, healthy product and more than enough for export. It wasn't there. On the piers of the Far East, pink salmon costs 30 rubles, and in our stores you will not see your own salmon again: frozen carcasses from China and Vietnam, dyed Norwegian salmon for 400 rubles, exotic pangasius and tilapia. The length of the sea border of Russia is equal to the equator of the planet - almost 40 thousand km, more than 250 species of fish are caught in our water area. But in spite of everything, the fish does not feed the country.

A typical Moscow market with a giant fish pavilion. There are crayfish in the aquariums, on the shelves there are huge fish frozen into the ice. Tuna from the Indian Ocean - 1.8 thousand rubles. per 1 kg, turbot from Portugal - 1.5 thousand, sea bream from Greece, salmon from Sweden, salmon from Norway, pangasius from the Mekong Valley - such is the geography. Where is Russia? Here it is, modestly huddled in a corner: Murmansk halibut for 400 rubles. looks at buyers ingratiatingly, as if apologizing for such a modest domestic contribution. And where are the salmon that teem with Russian northern waters? Experienced fishermen say: Russian ports are packed with trawlers waiting in line to unload with pink salmon rotting in their holds. Refrigerators on Sakhalin are full - the catch is rich, but there is nowhere to store it. If a Norwegian trawler freezes on average up to 1000 tons of fish per day, then ours is only 50, and Russian salmon are sold for yuan not from a good life.

Pollack fillet from China

We do not have normal transport routes to deliver, say, native pink salmon to Tver from the Far East, - explains Alexander Savelyev, head of the public relations center of the Federal Agency for Fisheries. - Now it is more profitable to drive fish for export, and buy from the Chinese, although the quality

leaves much to be desired. Vladivostok cannot process everything that Kamchatka is able to give, the goods lie in Primorye for three or four months before heading deep into Russia. There are not enough refrigerators, rolling stock, and settlements with Moscow are taking a very long time. And the Japanese pay immediately! In addition, when selling fish abroad, VAT is not charged. Therefore, almost all large enterprises that have their own refrigerated fleet send fish to Japan, Korea or China.
According to statistics, this year alone, the export of Russian pollock has increased 10 times, but its import is also growing, only from China - from where pollock is not found.
- The Chinese feed us our own fish, only processed: they defrost, fillet, and beautifully packaged. Isn't it absurd? Saveliev concludes.
On the right - the Far East and 85 percent of the country's fish wealth, on the left - up to the Ural Range - 85 percent of the population. Even the government does not know how to bridge the gap between the product and the consumer, and it is not clear from what head the domestic fish is rotting. The head of the Federal Agency for Fishery, Andrey Krainiy, frankly declares that it is becoming unprofitable to catch many types of biological resources, it is cheaper to “stand by the wall in the port”, since in the same pollock fishery the cost of fuel approaches the cost of the catch. And it is unprofitable for retailers to sell cheap marine fish.
- Capelin was originally 12 rubles, and then there are markups for logistics, and in Moscow it is already sold at retail for 80 rubles, - said the head of the federal agency. - Despite the fact that the delivery of one kilogram of any fish from Murmansk, from the shores of the Barents Sea, costs two and a half - three rubles. When we tried to figure out the pricing mechanism, the retailers answered us: they take it at that price. There is no alternative trading system. They say that they have an average margin of 30 percent on the sale of food products, and three kopecks from your capelin. From the Norwegian salmon, 30 percent is 150 rubles with the same labor costs.

Inedible "aquaculture"

The fish farm in Konakovo, Tver region, is the oldest in Russia. From there to Moscow 140 km. Salmon is even supplied from here to Uruguay for breeding, it is easier for her to swim there than to the Russian consumer.
When buying frozen imported pollock, we pay half for water. It turns out that our legislation provides for two GOSTs, one for Russian products, where the mass of glaze should be no more than four percent, the presence of polyphosphates, which allow more water to be “pushed” into the carcass, is completely unacceptable. According to import GOST, fish imported from abroad can be glazed as much as you like - twice, thrice lowering the fillet into water and freezing, each time increasing the weight of the goods by 20 percent. That is why finding frozen domestic pollock on the counter is an impossible task.
Most often, pangasius and tilapia are bought in fish stores, because they are tasty and not very expensive. This fish is brought to us from China and Vietnam - where it is bred on small farms. This is how salmon, sea bream, sea bass, sole, carp, pangasius, tilapia are grown. Experts say that these foreign products are not exactly fish. It can be compared to broiler chicken. Artificial salmon is grown in special cages, where the fish lives practically without movement, on growth stimulants, they are given food with dyes, which gives the meat a “corrupt” color, and pumped up with antibiotics. Eating this fish is not only expensive, but also dangerous: it causes cancer, immune system failure, allergic reactions, and gastrointestinal diseases. Canthaxatin, which is added to artificial fish feed, causes vision problems. The European Union prohibits the sale of such fish on its territory, but in Russia it is possible.

Artificial additives for growing fish are used by Norway and Chile. I personally don’t eat such fish and I don’t advise you, - the head of the Federal Agency for Fishery admitted in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda. - All salmon brought from our Far East are wild, they came from the Pacific Ocean and are environmentally friendly. Imported tilapia, pangasius - artificially grown "aquaculture". For retailers, this is very convenient: the manufacturer can grow fish of any size, by a certain date and of any color, even blue. I saw in China how tilapia is bred, what rubbish it swims in.
Andrei Krainy drew attention to the fact that wild fish is 25-30 percent more expensive than artificial fish, which can serve as a guide in a store or restaurant. As for river fish, according to the head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, the cleanest is from the Siberian rivers: broad whitefish, nelma, muksun.

Be careful not to run into a fake

1. Don't buy bright pink fish. The diet of artificial fish is inferior, there are no shrimp and plankton, so the meat is pale.
2. Pay attention to the veins in the fillet. If they are white and not bright pink, no dye has been applied. If the fish has small fins and scarlet meat, it means that it was stuffed with dyes and growth stimulants.
3. Unscrupulous manufacturers dissolve the bones using the so-called ripeners. Read the label: if ripening is indicated on it, refuse to buy.
4. To increase the weight of the product, polyphosphates are injected into the fish. This fillet looks smooth and shiny. If, after defrosting, a lot of water leaked out when pressed, it means that polyphosphates were injected there.
5. Pressed fillets are usually sold in round or square briquettes. It's cheaper than usual. The fact is that the remains of fish, small pieces without bones, go under the press. Unscrupulous producers can make it from tails, heads and scales - they give themselves out as stains and dark spots on the cut of the fillet.
6. Smell the fillet. If it smells like ammonia, it's made from expired fish.

And like new again!

Sellers are allowed to write off no more than ten percent of damaged products. Trade workers go to any tricks to deceive the buyer.

1. Re-stick labels. The fish is repackaged every day and a new date sticker is made.
2. Cheap varieties of fish are passed off as more expensive ones. Especially if the fish is not sold as a whole, but in pieces or in the form of fillets.
3. Frozen fish is thawed and presented as chilled. If it is not bought, it is frozen again. And so several times.
4. With the help of lemon juice or vinegar, the smell of rotten fish is beaten off and the mucus is washed off.
5. In rotten fish, the gills become gray or brownish. To hide the evidence, they are tinted with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or red watercolor paint.
6. Soaked in potassium permanganate and "liquid smoke", making "smoked" fish out of rotten chilled fish.
7. Marinate with a large amount of seasonings and fry the kebab.

Down with toxins
Put the fish in boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the water. This will remove most of the toxins from the fish.

I was swimming yesterday
Always fresh can only be cod, which is caught all year round. The fishing period for other fish species lasts no more than two months a year.

RSPCA Assured. This program mainly checks the conditions of keeping fish.
Global G.A.P. Products with this label are tested for compliance with food safety and environmental standards. Also, the presence of a program certificate guarantees that the products are obtained from trusted manufacturers.

"Best Aquaculture Practices" and "Fish Farms Board of Trustees"

(Aquaculture Stewardship Council) are comprehensive programs. Their goal is to reduce the negative impact on the environment, ensure the environmentally sound and sustainable use of natural resources and improve food safety.

Association of manufacturers of pure organic products (Soil Association / Organic). This organization deals mainly with environmental impact and the use of only organic fertilizers in agriculture.

Fishing in the Barents Sea:

“…NORWEGIAN SALMON IS THE MOST TOXIC FOOD IN THE WORLD…”- movie quote

What kind of fish is not grown artificially on farms?

Cod is grown on a large scale in Norway!

A lot of cod in Russia from there, be careful

They do not artificially grow on farms the well-known and beloved fish with such a cute name - HERRING.

When choosing fish, nutritionists advise buying one that has not been grown in fish farms. Such fish include: cod, saury, herring, pollock, pink salmon.

Such fish are considered more useful, because, unlike their more well-fed relatives, they were not stuffed with GMO feed and / or antibiotics.

Translate breed name: Russian-English-Hebrew.

Types of fish you can eat:

Anchovies, northern (Engraulis mordax), European (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Japanese (Engraulis japonicus).

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus). The site advises eating it, but in this case I cannot agree with the site - according to my information, not everything is so simple with cod.

Fish that contain a large amount of hazardous substances (species are arranged as harmful substances increase):

Hohlach, aka tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps). High levels of mercury.

Never eat the following types of fish, they are very dangerous (types are arranged as harmful substances increase):

Swordfish. Contains dangerous amounts of mercury.

As far as I know, there are no similar lists in Russian (at least not on such a scale and not from such an authoritative source), so the dissemination of information is strongly encouraged.

3. When cooking fish, keep in mind that toxic substances are mainly found in fat, and it is better to choose cooking methods that involve rendering fat, such as grilling.

4. Avoid canned fish and any industrially processed fish. I hope I don't need to explain why.

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An artificial reservoir can perform not only a decorative function, but it can also be successfully used for breeding fish. This exciting activity will provide an opportunity to spend your leisure time interestingly. It will also bear fruit in the form of environmentally friendly and, of course, tasty fish. But to achieve the result, you will have to work hard, because breeding fish in an artificial reservoir has its own characteristics and secrets that must be taken into account.

How to correctly determine the size of the reservoir

For an artificial reservoir, you need to choose a place located in the very lowland part land plot. It is also desirable that the pond be in partial shade for most of the day. But at the same time, to create a shading effect, it is not recommended to plant trees directly near the pond. Since fallen leaves will pollute the surface, and their roots can lead to deformations in the size of the reservoir over time.

The depth and width of the pond largely depends on what kind of fish you plan to breed in it. In any case, the pit for the reservoir must be at least one meter deep. And each owner forms the width and length of the pond at his own discretion. It is better to stop at a small but deep body of water, since a shallow and wide pool around the perimeter will absorb too much oxygen. While oxygen vital for fish. The enrichment of water with it is ensured by its production by vegetation, as well as due to the mixing of water under the influence of wind and temperature fluctuations.

In winter, to provide fish with air in the ice crust, you need to make holes, and you can also vertically freeze a bundle of reeds in it, which will become an excellent air conductor.

It should also be borne in mind that a tight reservoir will not suit too large a flock of fish, since the water in it will quickly deteriorate from a large amount of food. Therefore, it is necessary to plan the volumes of the future pond based on the fact that for one fish ten centimeters long, about fifty liters of water will be required.

A sufficiently deep reservoir creates successful conditions for wintering fish. But at the same time, in summer, the water in it warms up unevenly, which slows down the process of reproduction of microorganisms, which serve as an additional source of food for fish. Also, when determining the volume of a future reservoir, it is necessary to take into account such factors as the area of the water surface without any vegetation and the quality of water purification.

What types of fish are suitable for breeding in artificial reservoirs

The most unpretentious fish in care include carp and crucian carp, respectively, they are most often bred in artificial reservoirs. In addition, cold-water trout, goldfish, and tench can be successfully bred in a self-created pond.

Carp gets along well even in a small pond and even faster and better builds mass in them. This is due to the fact that in a small area it spends much less energy searching for food. An additional advantage of this type of fish is its omnivorous nature. Carp prefers the sun and slightly alkaline water. In such conditions, it grows rapidly and can reach sexual maturity by the fourth year of life.

For carp breeding, a reservoir up to one and a half meters deep, four meters long and six meters wide is ideal. Moreover, one cube of water should account for no more than twenty individuals. Such parameters provide optimal conditions for their life.

As for crucians, stagnant water with a lot of vegetation is ideal for them. In winter, ice holes must be made in the pond to ensure the flow of oxygen. The optimal size of a pond for breeding crucians does not differ from those suitable for carp, so they are often kept in the same pond.

And here tench categorically does not get along with crucian carp. In general, they are very unpretentious in care and easily adapt to fluctuations in the level of acidity and the amount of oxygen in the water. Tench is omnivorous and if the pond is shallow, then it can fight with other species of fish, most often carps, for food.

An artificial pond is ideal as a habitat for goldfish. They are unpretentious both in food and do not impose special requirements on the habitat. And for their active reproduction, two individuals are quite enough. In addition, the goldfish looks very beautiful in the pond. Koi, a decorative Japanese carp, also has exceptional decorative qualities. Their coloring is striking in variety, there are red, black, white and even yellow species. And it is almost impossible to predict the color of future offspring. Koi prefers fairly spacious and deep water bodies, and a large amount of time scours the muddy bottom in search of food. This variety requires a lot of food, and does not refuse small fish.

Making a pond for fish

The creation of an artificial reservoir begins with the determination of its future volumes and the preparation of the pit. After the pit is dug, the soil surface must be properly leveled and well tamped. It is recommended to cement the bottom of the future pond and cover it with a dense polyethylene film on top. If it is operated carefully, then it will serve as a reliable basis for more than one year. If financial possibilities do not allow such an option, then you can limit yourself to only one film for covering the bottom. Also, as a budget flooring for the bottom, cameras from trucks are often used, which are pre-glued together.

Modern coating options involve the use of special mats made from coconut or synthetic fiber. Their surface is quickly overgrown with algae, thanks to which they perfectly mask the coastal edge.

After the pit is completed, water can be poured into it. And for this purpose, well or spring water is best suited. But you need to do it gradually, so at first the pond is only one-third full. In this way, an ideal spreading of the film under the influence of the gravity of the water is achieved. The bottom is covered with a layer of river sand, in which a variety of underwater plants are planted. After that, the rest of the water is poured into the reservoir.

The final stage in the design of an artificial reservoir is the landscaping of its banks. To complete the pond on its shore, it is recommended to plant willows, cattails and reeds. And if the owner of the pond plans to breed crayfish in addition to fish, then he needs to take care of the presence of stones, broken pots, etc. at the bottom. This will enable the crayfish to create a reliable shelter from fish during the molting period.

Creating a microclimate in the pond

The arrangement of an artificial reservoir without fail includes the creation of a microclimate suitable for breeding fish in it. Therefore, in no case should fish be immediately put into the water again poured into the pond, because it must settle, warm up and be enriched with the necessary microflora. To speed up this process, you can add several buckets of water from a natural reservoir to it, and put a little grass on the bottom that has had time to wither.

A neutral environment is considered optimal for breeding fish, and the acidity level must be kept within seven to eight ph. If it drops to 5 ph, then this adversely affects the life of fish, especially carp and crucian carp. To increase the acidity, you need to add a portion of a solution of soda or limestone to the water. Measurement of the acidity level of water should be carried out regularly, and at once in several places of the reservoir, since the rate of interaction of substances depends on the intensity of sunlight.

A prerequisite for launching fish is equalizing the temperature in the reservoir and the container in which it is contained. If this rule is neglected, then the fish may develop a temperature shock, from which even adults can die on the very first day after they are launched into the pond.

What to feed the fish?

To be successful in breeding fish in an artificial reservoir? you need to take a responsible approach to the issue of their feeding. The most unpretentious in terms of food is rightly considered carp and tench. These species of fish are omnivorous and gladly absorb everything that their owner treats them to.

They are fed often enough. compound feed intended for poultry and pigs. Moreover, if loose or powdered feed is used, then directly before feeding, it must be mixed with pond water until it reaches the consistency of porridge.

For all other varieties of fish, you can use a mixture of legumes and cereal grains. Moreover, before feeding, they are doused with boiling water, due to which the mixture swells. Also, all fish, without exception, are happy to accept earthworms and various insects as food. The amount of feed depends on the weight of the fish and should slightly exceed it, but not more than six percent.

It is advisable to feed the fish once or twice a day at the same time. For feeding, it is recommended to choose a shallow place in which it is convenient to put a tray or a small table. And after the feeding is completed, it can be taken from there without any problems. This approach allows the owner of the pond to promptly remove the remnants of uneaten food, which can quickly spoil the water in the pond.

It is desirable to develop a conditioned reflex for eating in fish. This is facilitated by the implementation of feeding at a set time, as well as the use of other external stimuli, such as a bell.

Fish farming can be used as the basis for a self-sufficient business.

Related materials:

Fish processingFish tradeCrayfish farming

Business Relevance

Today, fish products are in demand in the city markets not only for large enterprises, but also for small private farms. Breeding fish makes it possible to save precious time - you only need to spend 3-5 hours a day caring for them. Having gained knowledge in the field of fish farming and organizing a reservoir, you can have a stable and high income.

Farming fish in artificial reservoirs as a business is practically not confirmed by the risk of bad weather conditions or seasonality. If you organize your business correctly, you can quickly recoup your investment and reach a stable income.

Related video:

Tips for beginner fish farmers

Development directions

At the present stage, fish farming is developing in several directions:

Pond farming is the use of a separate reservoir for growing fish (suitable for a variety of species).
Cage breeding of fish is important for large fish. The essence lies in the use of a part of a river, lake, reservoir, dividing the water space with cage lines.
The basin method consists in growing fish in artificial reservoirs. Suitable for breeding pike, salmon, bream, perch, carp, etc. Some entrepreneurs create mini-reservoirs, which are low barrels or bathtubs.

Related video:

Basin growing method

Sturgeon breeding in the basement of a multi-storey building

What kind of fish is profitable to breed

Many experts advise beginners in the fishing business to start with carp and trout, as these species are developing well and are in stable demand.

Carps quickly adapt to new conditions, are unpretentious in food, resistant to various diseases. Despite the low cost, the income after the sale of fish is quite high. For example, the profitability of the well-known enterprise JSC "Biserovsky fish processing plant" is 9-10%.

A business plan for breeding trout is laborious and complex, as this fish is demanding and whimsical to the conditions of detention. For its cultivation, you can not do without an experienced highly qualified specialist. But such advantages as an affordable breeding system, high prices for products, excellent taste of the product, low maintenance requirements (compared to other salmon) attract many businessmen.

Many farms breed silver carps. The advantages of this fish are that they can peacefully exist with their "brothers" - grass carp and carp. The silver carp quickly gains mass, can reach up to a meter in height and 30 kilograms of weight.

Related video:

Food for fry. (Excellent food for fry of different types of fish.)

Artificial breeding of fish

The technology of growing fish in pools is a modern progressive option for the intensive development of aquaculture. Pools for keeping fish have been popular for many decades. Another way is to find the lowest place on the plot, dig a ditch and build an artificial pond.

This option is beneficial, but very laborious.
The bottom of the pond in the country for breeding fish should be flat (pits can lead to waterlogging of the soil) and be isolated from groundwater.

Insulating material can be:

clay;
sand;
asbestos;
concrete;
expanded clay. Large farms make several types of ponds:
spawning for removing larvae from eggs;
fry;
wintering;
outgrowth;
foraging.

Related video:

Artificial breeding of trout

Recirculating water installations

Over the past decade, a new technology of closed water exchange has appeared on the Russian market - RAS. There is no need to rent large areas of land. Modern fish farms consist of a hangar-type building, which contains several pools and equipment for water purification. The modular tank system allows you to keep fish at a high stocking density (from 40 to 400 kg of fish per 1 m³). The feeding process is automatic. The fish in the given proportions receives dry granulated food, which gives it the opportunity to gain weight and develop as quickly as possible. The water purification system sends it to all pools and removes pollution, saturating it with oxygen. This makes it possible to use water for a long time with small losses - up to 10%.

The advantages of RAS are obvious:

refusal to discharge contaminated wastewater;
economical use of water resources;
the ability to grow fish and vegetables in one system and create a waste-free technology;
ease of disposal of fish waste products;
saving time on caring for fish;
simple control of the dilution process - temperature, oxygen, light adjustment.

The only but significant drawback of RAS is the high cost of the system.

Related video:

Growing fish in RAS

Basic feeding rules

For rapid growth, it is important to carefully consider the acquisition of fish seed. Fry is better to choose in fish farms. Before buying feed, check the manufacturer's certification, veterinary certificate and quality certificate.
Successful fish processing plants use industrial rearing feeds containing protein. Despite the high cost, the weight gain compared to conventional feed is doubled.
When feeding, you need to observe the measure. The fish eats everything that is poured, but the hydrochemical regime of the reservoir will be violated if the proportions are violated. This will slow down development. The rate and types of feeding depend on the type of fish, temperature and conditions of detention.

Related video:

How to Breed Artemia. (Artemia is used as fish food in aquaculture and aquaculture.)

Business registration

The disadvantage of raising fish at home for sale lies in the administrative barriers. Obtaining permission to lease a reservoir or part of it from local authorities is not easy, and a large package of documents is required.
But the laws of the Russian Federation do not prohibit the breeding of fish at the rate that are located on the territory of the land, which is private property. In other words, it is much easier to dig a pond, install a RAS or pour water into a quarry than to work in a natural reservoir.
In this case, no permits are required. But stocking requires a veterinary certificate (epidemiological report and fishery invoices). It is also necessary to register an individual entrepreneur or LLC with the OKVED code 05.02 "Fish farming".

Financial plan

It can be very profitable with proper planning and implementation of the idea. The cost of the project depends on its scale, development region, choice of fish species, technologies, etc.

If you open a mini-farm without hiring workers and saving on all aspects, the cost level will be distributed as follows:

1. purchase of fry - 300-500 rubles / kg. (when calculating, do not forget that 10% of them will not survive, and only 30-40% will be able to gain optimal weight);

2.equipment with an artificial pool - from 6 thousand rubles. per piece;

3. purchase of feed - from 15 thousand rubles. per ton;

4. purchase of equipment for fish farming - from 50 thousand rubles.

The information provided in the article is only a brief introduction to the essence of the business.

If you decide to go ahead with the implementation, then you need to download a professional fish farming business plan with detailed calculations:

Starting investments range from 150 thousand rubles. To this figure, add unforeseen costs, for example, for medical treatment. In general, fish farming is a profitable business, the main thing is to find distribution channels. It can be a restaurant, cafe, and other catering establishments, as well as sales at small or wholesale outlets.

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By approaching the formation of the pond correctly, studying the parameters of the water and preparing everything for the launch of the fry, the owner will be able to grow the fish to the optimal size. Careful maintenance and cleaning of the artificial reservoir will increase the number of fish for sale, which means increasing the amount of profit.

Home fish farming from scratch
Farming fish at home as a business
Pond equipment

At the moment, many experts in the field of fish farming consider the fish business to be quite a promising area. Therefore, by creating conditions for its development, it is possible to solve the problem of providing the state with fish and help fish farms in such a difficult task as growing various fish species.

Previously, it was popular to breed fish in artificial reservoirs, but in this case, poachers interfered with the growth and development of young and grown-up individuals, it is for this reason that fish farmers began to engage in organized reproduction and rearing of fish on mini-farms and at home. But in order for fish breeding to be successful, a novice fish farmer needs to study the breeding instructions and adhere to all prescribed rules. Without what home fish farming will not bring the desired results?

Home fish farming from scratch

The most important resource for growing any breed of fish is water. The growth, development and health of young animals will depend on its quality.

Step one. Creation of an artificial reservoir.

Before you start creating a pond, you need to take the time to fully analyze the water, having studied all the indicators and quality standards necessary to populate the reservoir with new residents.

For this purpose, it is best to contact the Epidemiological Surveillance and ask specialists to conduct the necessary analyzes of the aquatic environment and give advice on how to improve it, if necessary. If the quality of the water does not meet the standards, do not fall into despair. It is enough to aerate and clean the pond and everything will return to normal.

Step two. Determination of the quality of water resources.

The water in a fish pond must necessarily have the following characteristics:

The optimal ratio of salts;
Regular and irregular temperature conditions;
The total number of microorganisms living in it and PH;
General transparency;
The presence of minerals necessary for future fish;
color qualities;
The ratio of gases dissolved in water;

If all these characteristics correspond to the declared standards, then it will be possible to grow fish without any problems.

Step three. Baby launch.

Before you start the fry into the pond, you need to know what temperature regime is suitable for the breed of fish you have chosen. There are fish that are more suitable for cold water, and there are fish species that will only feel comfortable in warm water.

Cold-loving breeds include grass carp, carp, catfish, crucian carp, sterlet, silver carp, trout, peled and salmon. Heat-loving fish need to ensure the water temperature is not lower than twenty degrees, and for those who prefer cool waters from ten to twenty degrees. Wintering in the reservoir will also be determined by fish species.

Step four. Stages of growing fish.

In order to properly build your own mini fish farm, you need to know that when growing fish, the breeding stages are taken into account. First, the fish spawn, then the fry appear, then the wintering stage follows, the next growth stage, and experienced fish farmers consider the feeding stage to be the last step.

Taking them into account, it is possible to clearly distinguish between these periods and create the necessary scheme for the growth and development of young and reared individuals. For each of these stages, it is best to equip your own pond or use plastic pools.

In a pool or reservoir for spawning, fish farmers are engaged in breeding fry from eggs. The hatched fry are transplanted into a pond where they will grow. Upon reaching a certain age, they are placed in a nursery pond, where they will gain weight. When the generation gets stronger and it will no longer be possible to worry about its health, it is transferred to a feeding pond, but for wintering a special wintering pond with appropriate conditions for fish is used.

In order for the fish to grow and develop well, the water in the reservoir must be clean and enriched with oxygen. Also, it should not contain hydrogen sulfide and methane. To avoid their appearance, the pond must be created in the appropriate area, which can be determined using a geodetic map. Also in the pond there should be appropriate vegetation that will saturate the water with substances useful for fish.

Step five. Feeding.

Not only water plays an important role in fish farming, but also the use of appropriate feed additives. In order to grow healthy fish, it is necessary to use feed mixtures appropriate for each breed. They are made up of fats, fiber, legumes, grains, proteins, minerals and vitamins needed by fish. The secret of success is simple: in order for the fish to grow well, fish farmers fertilize the reservoirs and mineralize them.

For each age of the fish, it is necessary to use their own feed additives, as well as to raise immunity, they use therapeutic stress food that helps the fish cope with the disease and gain immunity to it. That, in principle, is all that fish farmers who decide to grow fish at home need to know.

Farming fish at home as a business

For growing fish, water is the most important thing; without it, it is simply impossible to breed any of the fish species. It is for this reason that before deciding to grow fish at home, it is necessary to build an artificial reservoir suitable for it.

For this purpose, you can rent a state reservoir, but this idea is better left. Because it will take you a lot of time to obtain various permits and approvals, and in addition to all this, your “fishing place” will also be threatened by poachers trying to catch as many fish as possible in your reservoir. For this reason, it is best to forget about renting a pond from government agencies. Moreover, the cost of a business on the basis of state lease will be very expensive for you.

Another option is to create an artificial pond in your suburban or summer cottage. The creation of an artificial reservoir will also be expensive, but it will still require significantly less material and nervous costs from you, and you will also be 100% sure of the reliability of your business.

If you want to breed fish for which fresh water is suitable, then you can use a polycarbonate greenhouse with a plastic pool installed in it. It also needs to purchase compressor and filtering equipment, which will cost a lack of three thousand dollars. If you can create such equipment yourself, you will significantly reduce the cost of equipping the reservoir. But before proceeding with its creation or purchase, you need to find out: what kind of equipment and materials you will need.

Pond equipment

Purification of water in the reservoir should be carried out using a gravity filter. Installing it is quite simple and it won't take you much time. It costs about five thousand rubles. It is used not only to purify water, but allows you to remove microorganisms that cause water blooms and the appearance of mud.

In order to saturate the water with oxygen, compressor equipment is used. Its cost can reach ten thousand rubles. In order to prevent the water in the reservoir from blooming, sterilizers with ultraviolet diodes are used. To pump water from a reservoir, you need to purchase a hydraulic pump (about five thousand rubles). You can also make it yourself by assembling it from tubes. In this case, the reservoir will be filled with water from underground sources and springs. Feeders can be purchased at stores that sell fishing tackle. Also, do not forget about the drain equipment.

Costs and fish farming technology

The benefits of fish farming are obvious. In the market, let's take, for example, sturgeon, a kilogram costs about two hundred rubles. Buying fry or breeding them yourself, you can get up to a ton of fish per year, which is about one and a half thousand kilograms, which means three hundred thousand rubles.

By spending one hundred and fifty thousand on your fish business, you can work off the costs for the year and still make a profit. The main thing is to find sales points and then you don’t have to worry about profits.

Of course, only those people who understand all the risks and are ready to take them can engage in fish breeding, because this type of business is quite competitive. And if you are not ready to fight and breed really high-quality and selected fish, it is better not to start it.

And now, finally, you have made a firm decision to create your own fish farm. What documents will you need? Since you will be starting a business, you will need to register your business. This will also incur additional costs. You will also need a license to grow fish, which will need to be issued. And when you get the first "harvest", you will still have to go through product quality control and obtain special permission from the relevant structures.

What is the best fish to breed?

If the cost of creating an artificial reservoir is easy to calculate, then the cost of acquiring and growing fish is very difficult. It is for this reason that a clear business plan is essential.

The most unpretentious fish in food and maintenance is carp. It is also available at a cost. When buying a ton of carp fry, you will need to spend about a thousand dollars. Moreover, this fish breed will not begin to multiply immediately, but only after three years. In addition, in the cold season, carps grow twice as slowly.

In industrial terms, all varieties of sturgeon are considered the most profitable fish species. An adult sturgeon weighs an average of five hundred grams. A kilogram of sturgeon in wholesale will cost about ten dollars. In your artificial pond, you can grow about a ton of such fish in six months. And this means that this business can really be called profitable.

Growing fish at home on a mini-farm: how to organize it correctly?

If you follow all the above tips, then growing fish in your pond or pool is not a problem. This is exactly what farmer Mikhail Atamanov does, growing sterlet and trout on his farm in Yaroslavl. For a year he grows and sells up to ten tons of fish and is not going to stop there. According to him, such a business brings him not only tangible profits, but also pleasure.

The business associated with the sale of food products has always been considered extremely profitable. Eco-friendly products made at home are always valued especially. One of the options for such a business is fish farming.

Fish is a universal product suitable for almost everyone, so the demand for it is very high. On the shelves of stores, in addition to the products of farm reservoirs, you can often find home-grown fish. This type of business is suitable for both residents of small settlements and entrepreneurs from large cities.

Breeding fish requires preliminary preparation and obtaining the necessary knowledge. It is not enough just to find a place to grow fish, buy fry for breeding and wait for them to gain weight.

In order for the business to be truly profitable, it is advisable at the very beginning to study the experience of colleagues, visit fish farms, and familiarize yourself with the conditions for breeding fish of different species.

Valuable advice and experience of colleagues can greatly help at the initial stage.

In addition to knowledge, at the initial stage, financial investments will be required to equip the reservoir, purchase the necessary equipment, cover operating and other costs.

What is the best fish to breed

A feature of fish farming is the relatively quick payback of the business, since the fish is growing rapidly and gaining weight, which means that the return on investment is not long in coming. Many species of fish are fast-growing, and they are the most popular.

Most often, the following types of fish are grown at home:

carps;
fish of the salmon family;
sturgeon fish;
catfish;
tilapia, trout.

Carp breeding is widespread throughout the post-Soviet space. Carp are omnivorous, but they tend to consume aquatic insects, worms, mollusks and zooplankton. With the right diet, they grow quite quickly.

Catfish are famous for the fact that they easily get along in reservoirs with other types of fish. Tilapia is large and fast growing.

Salmon and sturgeon feed mainly on other fish. Their breeding can be a risky business, given the high cost of feed and little consumer demand associated with the high cost of these species of fish.

What is required to organize a business

To organize a fish farming business, you will need:

organized space for growing fish (artificial reservoir, pool or natural reservoir);
cleaning equipment, pumps and other devices (for example, used for automated feeding of fish);
feed and feed additives;
fry directly.

Initially, there may be costs associated with the purchase or lease of land, premises, the development of water bodies, the purchase or lease of vehicles, water supplies and oxygen sensors.

In addition, funds will be needed to pay for electricity, fuel and chemical components. Among the items of expenditure may also be taxes, payment of wages to involved employees, mobile communications services and much more.

All these costs should be accounted for in the business plan. In addition to costs, the document should contain indicative terms for reaching cost recovery and making a profit. Even before organizing all the work, it is necessary to clearly understand what will be the marketing channels for farmed fish or fish products.

Features of growing fish

Fish farming is a specific industry that requires knowledge in topics such as water quality control, disease control, proper nutrition, and others.

For fish farming, a prerequisite is the availability of a constant source of high-quality water.

The water temperature can be adjusted depending on what kind of fish is bred in the pond.

It is important to equip convenient shores of the reservoir so that there are no difficulties with feeding and catching fish. Artificial tanks for fish should be of a comfortable size. Most often, rounded plastic pools with a diameter of about two meters and a depth of more than a meter are used for breeding fish.

You can start with the arrangement of one or two containers, with the successful promotion of the case, their number can be increased.

Separate requirements are imposed on the premises in which artificial reservoirs are located. As a rule, they maintain a constant temperature in the range of 18-22 degrees. The room itself should also be comfortable - its area should be at least 30 square meters.

With self-breeding of fish, all work takes no more than three to four hours a day. Workers should be hired with an increase in the number of pools and with the expansion of production activities.

Sales and income

When organizing a business, it is important to consider all possible options for selling products. The sales market can be quite wide: you can sell fish in shops or markets. In addition, you can negotiate its sale with cafes, restaurants and enterprises specializing in conservation.

Cafes and restaurants are most often interested in fish weighing 500-600 grams. Such indicators can be achieved with good hands in just six months. You can also sell caviar, which is always highly appreciated by buyers. To do this, it is necessary to grow a more adult stock of fish (up to 4 years).

When breeding fish in natural reservoirs (ponds), you can offer clients paid fishing as an additional income.

It must be remembered that the field of fish farming is not rare, and competition among entrepreneurs can be high. In order to attract buyers, it is necessary to set prices a few percent lower than those of other sellers. This will allow you to acquire regular customers and establish the necessary business relationships.

Considering that the cost of fish starts from 100-120 rubles per kilogram, it is possible to recoup investments in one year, and sometimes in a shorter period. Business profitability can reach 50%.

When positive results are achieved, it will be possible to expand production and bring it to a new stage, and, accordingly, to a new level of income.

Fishing in our country is exactly the niche that makes sense to occupy, because this direction is not yet actively developed..

Meanwhile, more and more people prefer fish over the meat of birds and mammals. Partly because fish meat is dietary, partly because of moral reasons - the number of vegetarians in the world is increasing every year.

The cost of fish in our country, in comparison with other countries, is quite expensive - this is due to the cold climate and the corresponding difficulties in breeding.

Someone does not want to accept live fish, someone pays for the goods only after the sale - these the nuances must be reflected in the resume when drawing up a business plan for growing fish.

How to organize a home fish farm?

It is worth noting that breeding fish is not at all as easy as it seems at first glance. Some breeders admit that this is even more troublesome than raising pigs or poultry.

Unpretentious, at first glance, creatures, in fact, require constant care and attention, control of water temperature, proper feeding and monitoring of the ecosystem of the reservoir as a whole. It is necessary to regularly check the health status of individual fish, because a viral disease can quickly spread to the entire pond.

First of all, it is preferable for this business to have established points of sale. Practice shows that problems with buyers in the fishing business occur very often, especially when it comes to chain stores.

If you decide to seriously plunge into this area, you should be prepared for a large investment of time and effort. Neglect in relation to these small factors will lead to sad consequences.

Perhaps it makes sense to hire an assistant or run a business with the whole family.

Arrangement of a reservoir

To create a fish farm, many prefer rent a pond.
This is really advantageous, since, in addition to direct breeding, it can be used as a paid fishing space. But at home, this is not always possible.

As a less costly alternative frequently used swimming pools.
They are good because they are equipped with devices for adjusting water temperature, oxygen levels and other indicators. And in general, it is much more convenient to watch fish in them: you can track emerging diseases, protect the “baby” from attacks by predators.

The third option is creating your own small ponds in the garden.
This path is attractive because it is easy to plant plants in such a reservoir, which will later serve as food for fish. In this case, there is no need to constantly take care of the feed and calculate its quantity. The arrangement of the pond, moreover, is more economical - after all, the cost of pools is quite noticeable.

The issue of feeding is of fundamental importance, since overfeeding fish is harmful not only for their development - the remains of rotting food in the reservoir do not contribute to a favorable microclimate of the entire ecosystem.

To equip a reservoir on the site, it is necessary to dig a pit and provide a bottom layer. To do this, alternate clay, asbestos, expanded clay and sand. You can also use concrete as a coating, and pour the soil on top.

The only inconvenience of an artificial pond: it is advisable to plant plants at least three months before the appearance of fish in it to form the desired ecosystem. Otherwise, with an earlier launch of the inhabitants, for some time you will have to feed them yourself. In winter, it is better to clear the pond of vegetation.

The disadvantage of natural reservoirs is that the water there often does not warm up enough, and when the fish is cold, it stops gaining weight, and the food is wasted. Swimming pools can solve this problem almost completely.

Choice of direction

It depends on many factors: the region, climatic features, the interests of buyers, etc.

What kind of fish to choose for business is up to you:

Carp is considered one of the most profitable breeds for breeding - it is not too whimsical, and the meat of this fish has an unusual taste.
Trout on the market is valued three times higher, however, more effort will be required from you: this fish is unusually fastidious in care.
Other species are also bred - tench, sturgeon, pike, etc.

The demand is mainly for the first two varieties of fish. When choosing, you also need to remember - the larger the fish, the more it is in demand in the market, and the higher your future profit.

However, it is worth remembering that it is not always possible to keep fish of different colors in the same reservoir: these creatures have their own hierarchy, and it is better to avoid collisions if possible.

Is it profitable to engage in this branch of animal husbandry?

While ensuring normal growth, well-established sales and active sales, fish farming business can be very profitable.

But to achieve such a result in the current conditions is not too easy for several reasons:

Compared to the 90s, the demand for fish in Russia has fallen markedly, many people cannot afford to buy it.
Another a significant minus - a fairly long payback.
Fish grow extremely slowly, and some species even throughout their lives. Carp take three years to reach their maximum weight, trout two and a half years. Not every breeder is willing to wait that long, so some buy "young animals", although this is much more expensive than buying fry, but here you have to choose.
The “capriciousness” of the fish is also important.
For example, carp can be fed very well on special ready-made mixtures, but the taste of meat will leave much to be desired.

To make the fish tasty, it needs a lot of attention and a special diet.

Fish may lose its taste, including due to improper maintenance during transportation. In this case, the buyer has the right to return the entire batch, declaring it a "marriage".

On the other hand, the high fecundity of fish and excellent profitability with well-established channels can compensate for all shortcomings.

Farm Equipment

If you decide to breed fish in pools, for this you will need a room with an area of 50 sq.m. It should be well heated, be equipped with electricity and running water.

You can use containers of different depths: many small pools (about 1 m deep) or several deep ones. But it should be borne in mind that the larger the volume of "dwelling" for fish, the more power you need to operate the equipment.

To equip the pools you need the following:

Pumps for pumping water;
Filters that purify water from microbes and contaminants;
oxygen generators;
Thermometers and other devices for monitoring temperature, water level, etc.;
Incubator. If it is available, you will be able to buy not fry, but caviar, and breed offspring on your own, so you can save a lot.

At the very beginning of the activity, it is better to try to save on technology - for example, use not inflatable pools, but plastic containers, or even self-made ones.

Already in the future, after the project pays off, you can think about more expensive equipment: special pools, automatic feeding systems, etc.

According to experienced entrepreneurs, significantly increases business profitability using fish breeding modules. In this case, fry are grown in special containers equipped with tap systems for collecting and draining water, aeration, filtration and UV sterilization.

See the video about the experience of using production fish breeding modules for organizing a sturgeon breeding business:

Sample financial plan

Provided that you organize a small home farm that does not use outside labor and keep costs to a minimum, you can get the following business plan:

Fry - 300-500 rubles per kg.
When deciding on the number of fry, keep in mind that approximately 10% will die, and only 30% will be able to gain full weight. Accordingly, if conditions permit, it is better to buy as much as possible.
Pool for growing fish - from 4 thousand rubles per piece;
Equipment for swimming pools - from 50 thousand rubles;
Compound feed for fish - from 10 thousand rubles per ton.

With maximum savings at the initial stage, you can meet 100 thousand rubles.

It is important to remember that trying to save on fry and, for example, catching them in a pond is not a good idea. There is a high risk that the fish will be sick.

In the future, also possible unforeseen costs should be taken into account e.g. for treatment.

The average market value of a kilogram of fish is 200 rubles.

By purchasing fry for 15 thousand rubles, you can get a ton of meat from one cubic meter of water per year, thus reaching annual profit of 200 thousand rubles.

The business is profitable, but we should not forget about its long payback period. However, the wait is worth it in order to subsequently regularly receive stable profits.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

What business idea to opt for? Let's try to find an answer to this question. Many of us do not think about how food gets to our dinner table. We are not interested in where and how they were grown or produced, the main thing is the end result. We want to always consume fresh and high-quality products. Live fish has always been and will be in great demand among the population.

It's no secret that many men love to sit with a fishing rod by the pond, relax, fish, and making this hobby their business is a dream for many that can come true if you set a specific goal.

Fish business from scratch

It is possible to make fish farming a business, but before making a final decision, you need to study all the subtleties and pitfalls of this business.

Russia is a great country in which fisheries are highly developed. To be honest, several decades ago our fish farms were among the best in the world. Unfortunately, many of them went bankrupt unable to withstand the competition of foreign companies. Those that still continue to exist are unable to provide the population of the country with the growing needs for live fish. Therefore, fish farming can be a good solution to the issue of supplying your region with these products.

The ideas of growing fish in artificially created reservoirs are not new, but they do not lose their relevance even today.

There are several directions in modern fish farming:

Artificial fish pond

Choosing a suitable site

The site where you can make a fish pond can be located not only in small settlements or outside them, but also in a big city on your own plot of land (if any). If it is not possible to dig a pond or pool, you can make a container from sheet iron.

A reservoir for breeding and raising fish should be suitable for this purpose. The depth of the pond must be at least 150 cm. Its bottom should be free of impurities of peat or silt. Vegetation must be present in the reservoir, but within reasonable limits.

The business will be economically profitable only if the reservoir, in all respects, is suitable not only for keeping fish, but also for its cultivation, selection of caviar and incubation of young animals.

Arranging a fish pond

When creating a pond for breeding fish, you should not focus on its sophistication and decor items. Do not forget that its main goal is to create comfortable conditions for keeping fish.

Consideration should be given to the following when constructing fish ponds: rules and guidelines:

small ponds will require serious maintenance, and large ponds will cost you a lot. Based on this, it follows that the optimal dimensions are within 30 - 50 square meters. meters;
one of the sections of the pond should be in the shade. In addition, it is worth knowing that in order for the pond not to be flooded during spring floods, it should not be located in low areas;
bottom topography is complex, with alternating shallow water with deep water areas, with rapids and ledges of various sizes;
For breeding different types of fish, a variety of soil is required.

For example, let's take a farm that plans to breed carp. Expenditure part of the business plan:

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Live up! - Sugar detox program

How to correctly determine the size of the reservoir

What types of fish are suitable for breeding in artificial reservoirs

Making a pond for fish

Creating a microclimate in the pond

What to feed the fish?

Business Relevance

Development directions

What kind of fish is profitable to breed

Artificial breeding of fish

Recirculating water installations

Basic feeding rules

Business registration

Financial plan

Commercial offers

What is the best fish to breed

Most often, the following types of fish are grown at home:

What is required to organize a business

To organize a fish farming business, you will need:

Features of growing fish

Sales and income

Fish business from scratch

Artificial fish pond

Choosing a suitable site

Arranging a fish pond

Retract your words

Bessonov Vladimir Vasilievich

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