Coldwater Fish Culture - Online

Target Audience: 

Fishery biologists, fish culturists, biological technicians, aquatic animal husbandry caretakers and other non-supervisory hatchery employees with less than 5 years work experience.

Summary and Objectives: 

This introductory course explores all husbandry activities associated with coldwater fishes. The curriculum follows the entire life cycle of a fish lot in a hatchery setting. Students explore the techniques and calculations most often used in the aquaculture industry including egg enumeration and handling, egg incubation, hatching methods, sac-fry care, managing fish from fry to catchable size, brood stock management, and fish stocking. Students also investigate factors affecting fish behavior including; biological and environmental conditions, stress and pathogens, basic water chemistry, and rearing units utilized for egg incubation and fish rearing. Finally, students will calculate egg and fish inventories, determine rearing capacities, and project parameters affecting fish distribution and stocking. The course curriculum includes a balance of applied fisheries science and the practical art of fish culture.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• enumerate both green and eyed eggs.
• recognize the signs of over-feeding and under-feeding.
• identify normal and abnormal fish behaviors.
• manipulate fish growth to achieve a desired size on a given date.
• calculate and develop a 90 day feed order.
• calculate density index and flow index and utilize them to predict when to thin a lot of fish.
• utilize basic genetic principles to develop a captive brood stock.
• recognize the signs and causes of stress in fish.

Special Information:  

This blended course will be delivered online via synchronous and asynchronous training for approximately 15-20 hours per week over the course of 4 weeks.

Competency Addressed:  

Animal Husbandry - Basic, Biology - Awareness, Fishery Biology - Awareness