Caviar Production
We are always looking for good water to stock with paddlefish. If you own a large body of water of 5 acres or more, and are interested in raising paddlefish for caviar, we would love to talk to you. Raising paddlefish in this way will not impact the sport fish which may be present in your lake. It is a long term project - it takes 8 to 10 years for the fish to reach sexual maturity and produce eggs, but there is little cost along the way. We practice a low impact type of aquaculture called reservoir ranching. The fish are stocked at a low density and then allowed to forage for natural food, so no additional food or aeration is needed.
At the end of 8 years, we come back and harvest the fish in mid-winter, processing the meat and caviar. We then distribute these products to world markets. The participating farm earns a percentage of the profit.
We are happy to sell fingerlings outright or set up a partnership agreement with interested farms or municipalities.
Meat Production
We are also very interested in talking to farms already raising food fish. Paddlefish raised for meat can be grown with catfish or tilapia in existing ponds. The successful polyculture of these two fish has been well documented in research performed by Kentucky State University. This allows a farm to greatly increase the amount of profit they earn from each body of water with little additional expense. Paddlefish require no additional aeration or food because they feed on zooplankton, a natural food already present in mature catfish ponds. The fixed costs of electricity and feed stay fundamentally the same.
Big Fish Farms supports our ranching partners throughout the"growing out" process and helps them in implementing practices that result in a successful harvest. We then process and distribute the meat.
Again, we are happy to sell fingerlings, or arrange partnership agreements with interested farms.
Call anytime to discuss the aquaculture of this wonderful fish and let us tell you more about the benefits of partnering with Big Fish Farms. Ask for Keith or Renee at 1.859.261.6446 or email us at paddlefish@fuse.net
WE CURRENTLY HAVE PADDLEFISH FINGERLINGS FOR SALE