Based on the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s (UNCW) pilot marine fish hatchery and recirculating a quaculture system (RAS) growout facility (Wrightsville Beach, NC), a spreadsheet production economics analysis was conducted for a hypothetical commercial scale RAS growout facility for black sea bass, Centropristis striata, in coastal North Carolina, and profitabilit y of alternative production scenarios were explored via sensitivity analysis. Financial performance was measured by assessing farm input costs (e.g. labor, feed, energy), duration of production cycle, time to first harvest, farm gate revenues and returns to owner per production cycle, break-even (BE) prices, discounted payback period, modified internal rate of return (MIRR), and cumulative net present value (NPV). A base case biological growth model was developed through linear regression analysis using empirical growth data from black sea bass raised in RAS at UNCW and at North Carolina State University. Alternative models based on a 12.5% increase per generation in weight-at-age over two generations that might be realized through selective breeding were also investigated.
The benchmark of 75% of the cohort at premium marketable size or larger is reached at 23.9 months for F0 , at 22.8 mos for the F1 generation and 21.7 mos for the F2 generation, at BE prices of $8.228, $7. 376 and $7.084 , respectively. When F2 generations were fed plant-based aquafeeds, BE drops to $6.842. The results of this study show that black sea bass can be grown using RAS methods at commercial scale and at competitive prices. Furthermore, implementing genetic selection for improved growth concurrently with plant-based aquafeeds has the potential to significantly improve the economic performance of a black sea bass RAS facility.