Project: Workforce Training and Education for Environmentally and Economically Sustainable Great Lakes

Aquaculture

Funded By: University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute

Collaborators: Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater

Sciences, and UW-Extension.

Report Compiled By: Emma Wiermaa UWSP NADF Outreach Specialist

Project Background:

Great Lakes region aquaculture represents an array of production systems with flow-through, pond, and recirculating

aquaculture systems. Many multi-production farms exist that utilize a combination of these systems and others use

innovative hybrid systems in an attempt to increase production and decrease production time. While nationally the

aquaculture industry continues to expand, growth of the Great Lakes region’s aquaculture industry has slowed. Many new

and existing fish farmers cite a need for technical training and dissemination of current production knowledge, especially

in the area of sustainable recirculating systems and associated business operations.

Pond aeration demonstration at UWSP NADF by Kasco Marine.

Project Goal:

The goal for this project is to increase aquaculture workforce education and training opportunities and to provide skilled

workers for a continuously developing aquaculture industry.

Specific objectives are to: 1) develop a series of nine, three to five-day teaching modules based on topics the Great Lakes

aquaculture industry has identified as deficient in current education offerings, and 2) deliver these teaching modules

through a 3-tiered system of progressive advancement using online lectures and in-person workshops for direct

technology transfer.

The initial nine teaching modules include: Tier 1 - business plan, permitting and regulations, and marketing; Tier 2 –

nutrition, fish health, and pond culture; Tier 3 – recirculating aquaculture systems, principles of bio-filtration, and

aquaponics.

Pond Culture Workshop

To meet Tier 2 of the project goal, a pond culture workshop was offered through University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (UWSP NADF) and Lac du Flambeau Tribal Hatchery. The workshop

consisted of online learning modules and two hands on workshops. Attendees were asked to provide a single fee of $50.00

for workshop which included the online modules, the hands on portions, two lunches and snacks.

Online Modules:

After paying the workshop fee, attendees were provided an online link to

four video PowerPoint learning modules on Pond Construction, Pond

Fertilization, Water Quality, and Fish Management. Each video is about a

half hour in length and can be viewed online through most devices using

Office Mix. The videos were created by UWSP NADF and Lac du

Flambeau based on various resources and past rearing experience and

success. Hard copies of the videos were provided on a zip drive to

attendees at the hands on portion of the workshop.

Hands-On Workshop:

Two in person, hands on workshops

were provided to attendees. The first option

was given on May 24th-25th at UWSP

NADF. Specific activities and topics

included small fingerling walleye

production, seining techniques, pond

fertilization and vegetation management,

plankton sampling, clay-lined pond

management. The second option was given

on September 6th-7th at Lac du Flambeau

Tribal Hatchery with a tour of Woodruff

State Hatchery. Specific activities and topics

included extended fingerling walleye

production, forage minnows and feeding Fish health demonstration at UWSP NADF by Dr. Smith, Clayton Veterinary Care.

PowerPoint video learning modules on various pond

culture topics.

ratios, lined pond management, and harvest techniques.

Both events included a full tour of facilities and equipment, management techniques, pond aeration

demonstration by Kasco Marine, Inc., fish health demonstration and presentation by Clayton Veterinary Care and

provided a take home binder of various resources.

Attendees

Various groups were represented at the pond

culture workshop including private, state,

federal and tribal hatcheries and organizations

including St. Croix Chippewa Indians of

Wisconsin, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community,

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Indians, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians,

Sault Ste. Marie Tribe, University of

Minnesota-College of Veterinary Medicine,

University of Minnesota-Sea Grant. Total

individuals that took the workshop were 19. 12

people attended UWSP NADF and 10 people

attended Lac du Flambeau (3 returnees and 7

new attendees)

Pre-Workshop Surveys: Before taking the

workshop, registrants were asked to take a short online survey to describe their background, experience level and interest

in pond culture. A few summaries are as follows:

Half of the attendees were managers or employees of a farm or facility. The rest were owners, hobbyists or educators.

Half of the attendees had a basic understanding of pond culture with a few years of experience. Nearly the other half of

attendees had little or no experience raising fish in ponds.

Attendees were interested in all the topics listed, although the most requested topic to learn about was fish management

and harvest.

Walleye or game fish was predominately the species with the most interest. Other species mentioned were whitefish,

largemouth bass and koi.

Only one attendee reported to be well knowledgeable in several topics before the workshop. Nine attendees reported to

have little to no prior knowledge of at least one topic presented in the workshop.

See graphs for survey details in the appendix.

Post-Workshop Evaluations: After each hands on workshop, attendees were asked to fill out an evaluation

form to determine satisfaction, usefulness, relevancy, and clarity of the workshop. Attendees ranked various

workshop topics on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (best).

Percentage of attendees that scored a 4 (agreed) or 5 (strongly agreed) to various events:

90% agreed that the topics in the workshop were relevant to them.

90% agreed the training experience will be beneficial in their work.

95% agreed the online modules had a good amount of information.

85% agreed the hands on training had a good amount of activities.

100% agreed the content was clear and understandable.

95% agreed the length and pace was appropriate.

100% were overall satisfied with the workshop.

Demonstration and explanation of external kettle for fish harvesting at UWSP NADF.

Comments:

More information on smaller or private operations (capitol costs/marketing), permitting and

regulations, non-drainable or natural ponds, raising food fish species in ponds.

“Very informative”

“More workshops”

“I thought it was great for a pond culture workshop”

“Keep up the good work”

“I think you covered what was intended very well”

“Very enjoyable”

“It was all valuable”

“Overall, very well done”

Appendix: Pre-Workshop Survey Results

Number of applicants before the workshop that listed that they had no prior knowledge, little

knowledge, basic understanding, good understanding or well knowledgeable in various topics

presented in the workshop. 14 total applicants completed this pre-workshop survey.