Introduction
The process of raising fish for commercial purposes like producing food is known as fish farming. It can be done in tanks, ponds or other enclosures. In accordance with rapid population growth, the demand of fish and fish related products are also on the rapid rise. The main reason behind this is being fish as a great source of food and protein.
Around the world, there are many countries and many areas that solely depends on fish farming as a means of livelihood. However, coastal areas are very suitable for doing this business. With that said, people are doing fish farming in almost all parts of the world, whether coastal or not.
Main advantages of fish farming business:
Natural ecosystems can be preserved by commercial fish farming as the fishes are raised in tanks until they are ready for consumers.
On fish farms, fishes are fed with variety of nutrients rich foods and proteins. So the farm fishes are healthier than the wild fishes.
As the demand of fish and fish related products are high, commercial fish farming allows for meeting this demand. There ae also established markets for fish products, so you don’t have to worry about marketing your product.
You can use your desired fish species from around the world for your business.
Global fish exportation business is now earning more money every year, than any other food commodity. As a result, fish farming creates a great income and employment source for the people.
Starting fish farming business:
Selecting a land or area-
Coastal areas and the areas near big rivers or stream are very suitable for establishing fish farming business. You can aim for large piece of land so that you can do all types of fish farming activities. Avoid areas that are polluted or prone to flood. Your land should not be near any crops fields as the farmers use a lot of pesticides and chemicals. Lastly, make sure that there is availability of good transportation system near your selected area.
Farm type-
There are many ways but you can start by choosing cage system, tank system or pond system. In cage system, make a cage and then place it in lakes, ponds or oceans and start feeding the fish until they reach commercial age. In case of tanks, make one or few tanks and raise fishes in them. For ponds, their design is important and their design depends on the fish species you are going with for your business. You can get in touch with local fishing institutes to learn about pond designs for different species of fishes.
Selecting fish species-
The simple answer for this is select the breeds which have a huge demand and high price in your local area.
Feeding-
To keep your fish healthy, it is very important to feed your fish with all kind of nutritious and high quality foods. It is the only way for a healthy and maximum production. Along with natural food provide your fish with fish supplements as well. They are all available in the market. Depending on fish species, consider feeding several times a day.
How to take care-
Check your fish health regularly. Keep the environment clean and suitable for proper growth. Testing water and soil quality on a regular basis is a must. Try to change water of pond or tank occasionally, if not possible, use some chemicals according to the suggestion of some expert.
Harvesting-
The harvesting time depends on fish species. Start harvesting, when majority of fishes reach marketing age. Try to harvest during morning or afternoon, when temperature is low. After harvesting, send the fish to the market as soon as possible.
How to market and sell-
Since there are many markets already in place for fish and fish products, you can easily sell your product and earn good profits. Generally, all species of fish have demands and markets for them. You can choose to sell at your nearest markets or you can also sell to companies who export fishes to other foreign countries. The choice is yours.
For fish farming marketing and selling of fishes is the easiest step due to already present huge markets for them. The demand is on the rise continuously and it is the main reason why people from around the world are opting for this livelihood. It ensures good source of income and provides good profits.
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