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The Cumberland County College Fish Barn

An Aquaculture Education and Commercial Demonstration Facility

When fully operational the Fish Barn will produce 100,000 pounds of tilapia per year. A greenhouse will be added to provide hydroponic vegetable and aquatic plant production using the nutrients present in the aquaculture waters and fish wastes for improved plant production. A minimum of water usage and waste discharge will be demonstrated- a critical issue for the future of aquaculture in New Jersey and across the country. This project will maximize energy efficiency by relying on heat pumps for both space heating and process water conditioning.

This facility will serve as an aquaculture training facility for 20 to 40 students per year. It will

function as a model for enclosed recirculating fish farms in New Jersey and the Northeast Region as well as serve as an educational component for farmers, commercial fisherman, financial institutions, and the general public.

Construction

Two 5000 gallon quarantine/nursery tanks prior to the walls being built which now separate the tanks into their own isolated areas.	This is one of the four 18,500 gallon growout tanks before the concrete floor was poured.
This photograph shows installation of some of the many lengths of piping which snake throughout the building under the concrete floor.	Finished production room.
Waders-in-waiting.	Four 23 foot diameter, 18,500 gallon tanks lined up ready for fish.

Stocking

The first shipment of fish arrive from the Phila. Airport packed in sturdy boxes. They've just flown in from New Orleans.	500 tilapia fry in a shipping bag. The young fish, called fry, weigh about 1/2gram each and will spend about 4 to 5 weeks in the quarantine tank before being moved out into the production tanks.
Tilapia nilotica, swimming in their new quarantine tank.	In three weeks the tilapia fry have grown into fingerlings.
These fingerlinglings are ready to move out into the production tanks.	Millville High School students visiting the quarantine room.

                    Harvest

Students prepare to harvest tilapia.	In the first harvest of the new facility, tilapia are gathered in a net to sort out the market size fish. Market size tilapia are about 1 1/2 lbs.

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Copyright © 2003 Cumberland County College Aquaculture Technology Program
Last modified: 01/27/05