Ornamental aquaculture has many advantages compared to seafood aquaculture; perhaps the biggest advantage is the value of product per size or weight . While ornamental aquaculture products are rarely sold by the pound, these small aquarium fishes and invertebrates yield a high value when compared to seafood aquaculture products. This small product size opens the (garage) door to operations working in small spaces. With less area required for production, places such as garages, green houses, or even spare bedrooms can be appropriate for ornamental aquaculture systems. This presentation will discuss advantages and strategies to maximize production in small spaces, and species that work well on a small scale which may have a relatively high return on invested time, money and space of an aquaculture operation.
Summerland Ocean Life is an S-Corp created in 2019 as a side project by T. Knorr and M. Walsh. The operation focuses on simple aquaculture techniques that require little effort and high-value products. The use of technology to monitor and control the aquatic habitats is utilized to minimize required efforts and allow for autonomous operation. The site of the operation is in the Florida Keys and takes advantage of the South Florida aquarium trade, networking with local collectors and regional wholesalers. Of the species cultured, a particularly ecologically important species, the blue neon goby, Elacantinus oceanops , remains a high priority as their abundance within the coral reef ecosystem has been shown to be related to increased biodiversity . Additionally, the Banggai cardinalfish, Pterapogon kauderni , has been greatly impacted by over-harvesting. This species has been placed on the IUCN Red List of t hreatened species . Aquaculture of E. oceanops and P. kauderni, is an important alternative to wild collection, and a main objective of Summerland Ocean Life.