Sardinhas is the Portuguese word that describes a cacophony of smaller sized aquatic animals eaten in complex cuisines, not only as sardines in “tinned fish”. We are engaged in applied, small-scale aquaculture R&D of native fish as sardinhas and promoting these as alternatives to the overuse/spread of invasive, non-native species being chosen and used in the development of freshwater aquaculture and aquaponics systems, especially in educational settings. The many benefits of small, native fish are well known internationally among development agencies, led by the pioneering works of Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted who received the 2021 World Food Prize (the “Nobel Prize for food and agriculture”) for the development of small, native fish aquaculture and fishery systems for nutritional benefits (enhancing intakes of vitamin A, omega3’s, micronutrients, etc.). Small, native fish are more accessible, affordable, less wasteful, and have considerable potential to enhance seafood consumption. In many places, consumers who want to consume fish are being priced out, resulting in the selection of poorer quality, less nutritious terrestrial meats, or avoiding seafoods altogether. For example, prices for US seafood were 120% higher in 2024 vs. 1997, exceeding the overall inflation rate (US Bureau of Labor Statistics). The “tinned fish” movement in North America/Europe is gaining in popularity; an example is “Fishwife” who source from healthy fisheries and certified sustainable aquaculture farms, with the aim to “make ethically sourced, premium, and delicious tinned seafood a staple in every cupboard”. Our works complement this “tinning movement” as we are developing aquaculture for a variety of native, small fish aquatic products, targeting small farmers.
North American native fish had a central place in the diets of Indigenous First Nations until usurped by colonization and racism. The destructive, wasteful practice in the 1800’s of intensive river netting and fish processing on riverboats led to the labelling of many native North American fish as “rough fish”. Biologists used this to develop the concept that native fish limited the maximum sizes of preferred gamefish populations. Biologists then led large scale attempts to destroy native fish by promoting intensive netting and whole ecosystem poisoning. This outrageous, unscientific “rough fish” concept persists in some parts of society today.
The family Cyprinidae is the most diverse grouping of native freshwater fish in North America. Our first choice for sardinhas aquaculture given our hyperlocal farm settings was to use the widely abundant and tolerant golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) as food. We have successfully moved fish from bait shops to ~2.5 m3 algal tanks, created dense blooms with recycled fertilizer (our program in urine diversion), and acclimatized them to these solar algal pond ecosystems, first using commercial feeds. Since these are lower trophic level fish, we are experimenting with bioflocs from various low-cost agricultural meals to replace commercial feeds. All tanks have aeration powered by solar energy. Are we wanting more people to consider eating bait? Yes.