The In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS) is a new technology that is valuable for the aquaculture industry as it safely produces higher fish production volumes from existing water resources. The technology was developed at Auburn University, USA, and spread across the world starting with the U.S. Soybean Export Council’s (USSEC’s) efforts in China before expanding globally.
A comparative demonstration was conducted from May 2020 to April 2021 at a large tilapia farm in Phetchaburi province, Thailand and compared the production capacity and fish quality produced by two different culture systems: a traditional system (earthen pond) and IPRS (three cells, each cell 220m3). Fish (Nile tilapia – Oreochromis niloticus) were stocked and reached their target sizes on day 196 for the traditional pond and day 109 for one IPRS cell. Fish cultured in the IPRS cell showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) survival rate, average daily gain (ADG), total production, and biomass compared to a whole pond of traditional culture system (Table 1).
In addition, fish samples were sent to a food laboratory in Kasetsart University for flesh quality analysis (Table 2). IPRS fish showed differences (p < 0.05) in terms of condition factor, total protein content and chewiness. These parameters are related to each other; K factor indicated a tighter fish fillet which coincided with higher protein content and better texture (flesh chewiness) found in fish from the IPRS cell. There was no Geosmin or MIB (2-Methylisoborneol, which can cause a muddy odor) detected in either system.
These results indicated that the IPRS technology can produce greater quantities and higher quality fish using limited water resources due to a high-technology approach paired with proper management and feeds. Hence, In-Pond Raceway System could considerably be a new aquaculture technology which provides efficient fish production ability and pays attention on environmental sustainability.