This is a basic course covering the principles, concepts, and methods used in intensive (primarily Salmonid) fish culture.  Topics include historical perspective, fisheries management, fish physiology and stress, water quality and chemistry, fish health management, fish nutrition, fish growth, feeding guides, record keeping, carrying capacity, and fish culture methods, brood stock management, and water treatment processes.  Applications of growth and carrying capacity models, fish feed projections and ordering, lot history development, and fish culture methods will be provided through case studies and problem solving.

Who Should Attend:  Fishery biologist, fish culturist, biological technician, aquatic animal husbandry caretaker, and other non-supervisory hatchery employees with less than 5 years work experience.

Course Length:  9 days/72 hours

Objectives:  By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:

• Explain the role of fisheries management and its effect on program objectives.
• Describe the historical development of aquaculture.
• List different program objectives for aquaculture products.
• Understand basic fish physiological processes.
• Discuss the effects of hatchery rearing conditions on product quality.
• List the basic water related requirements of a Salmonid.
• Describe several fish disease prevention and control measures.
• Perform a basic fish necropsy and health assessment.
• List the major nutritional requirements of a Salmonid.
• Describe the relationship between fish length and fish weight.
• Use Salmonid growth formulas to develop a length-weight table.
• Project fish growth based on water temperature and fish food conversion.
• Maintain a system for keeping hatchery records.
• Calculate carrying capacity for a fish hatchery based on water inflow and pond space.
• Outline the phases of production for a typical Salmonid hatchery.
• Describe and discuss the common fish production methods from egg to stocking.
• Calculate egg requirements for a given fish stocking program.
• Explain the importance of genetic principles when establishing a brood stock.
• List at least four methods used in spawning Salmonids.
• Describe at least five methods used to aerate hatchery water.