Aquaculture America 2020

February 9 - 12, 2020

Honolulu, Hawaii

ON-FARM EVALUATION AND MONITORING OF DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY A COMMERCIAL BAITFISH FARM TO CONTROL Microcystis

 
Herbert E. Quintero*, Kayla McCoy
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR
 UAPB Lonoke Fish Disease Diagnositc Laboratory
 Lonoke Agricultural Center
2001 Highway 70 East
Lonoke, Arkansas, 72086
 quinteroh@uapb.edu
 

Arkansas is the leading producer of bait fish in the United States.  Arkansas baitfish farmers in recent years have reported increasing problems related to blue-green algae. Blue-green algae blooms ,  such as Microcystis species,  can  have deleterious effects o n  baitfish production including odors, toxins ,  reduction of seining  efficiency, and fish mortality. Attempts to control blue green algae populations have become of paramount importance for the baitfish industry , and management strategies include the use of chemicals such as  copper  sulfate, copper chelates, potassium permanganate, among others.

In order to assess the efficacy of different management strategies employed by commercial baitfish farms in Arkansas, m onitoring of microalgae populations and water quality were performed during early Spring  through late Fall 2019 on a commercial farm in Lonoke County, Arkansas . Six commercial baitfish production ponds (4.0-7.1 hectares) were monitored by Extension personnel on a weekly basis. Water quality parameters  that  were  measured  for each pond included temperature, pH,  total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen , nitrate,  and phosphorous. Microalgae counts were performed via microscopic examination. The impact of different management strategies and treatment regimens employed by the cooperating farm on pond water quality and microalgae will be presented.