2009 West Virginia Statistics

West Virginia Aquaculture
Industry Update for 2009
Multi State Aquaculture Forum
Marshall University – Huntington, WV
January 16, 2010
2009 was a year of growth
2009 West Virginia Statistics
 Estimated value of fish sold in WV for 2009
is more than $ 2 million.
 WV is a net exporter of trout
 34 Fee Fishing Businesses
 30 operations sell Trout
 7 baitfish providers
 7 catfish providers
 8 fish processors have permits
WV Aquaculture Association
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President: Tom Ort
Vice Pres: Mike Nardella
Secretary: Rob Nichols
Treasurer: Ken Semmens
Elected Board of Directors in 2009
Jake Musick Mike Nardella Josh Hedrick
Tom Ort
DNR Fish production 2008/09
 989,000 trout = 694,000 pounds
743,000+ rainbow
158,000+ brook
44,000 brown
43,000 golden
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168,000 hybrid striped bass
164,000 walleye fingerlings
90,000 channel catfish
50,000 striped bass
5,000 muskie
Twin Fork Trout –
Mercer Co.
 George and John Cottle
– Princeton
 Recreational Market
 Stocked the Bluestone
River at Pipestem S.P.
 Higher flows than 2008
 John Cottle passed
away.
Zetts Tri-State Fish Farm & Hatchery
Inwood, WV (Berkeley Co.)
30 years in business
Largest Fee Fishing
business in WV
UPS air freight to all 50
states
Truck delivery / Pond
supplies
Carp / Catfish tournaments
Open March to October
Andrew Zetts (center) with flathead catfish
Smoke Hole Caverns Resort: Josh Hedrick
Good News
Josh and Rachelle got
married.
Bad news
•Court case “Interfering
with an angler” who was
taking some of his
broodstock trout. Josh
found guilty.
•Fire destroys gift shop
and more.
Spring originates and water flows
across his property near a fee fishing
pond and cabins used for lodging.
Corps of Engineers/EPA issue
cease and desist order for
work in the stream
May 5 Meeting to review the
case.
At the meeting:
•Josh Hedrick and his attorney.
•Regulators:
•WV DNR
•Corps of Engineers
•WV Conservation
Agency
•EPA
•WVU Extension
More Bad News
The Problem
Josh installed small
check dams.
Original permit
approved “cross
vanes” to create
pools.
Elk Springs Fly Shop & Outfitters
 Brown and Rainbow trout – Live haul for 2010
 Guide Service, Orvis Authorized Fly Shop,
Accommodations and food
 Constructed trout hatchery in 2009
 www.elkspringsflyshop.com 304-339-2359
WV Salmon & Trout LLC
Mingo and Logan Counties
Sold off all live inventory in Fall 2009
Looking for new investors
Guyses Run Fishing Park
•Over 1500 participants in 2009 (50% increase)
•$2,700 in revenue (39% increase)
•More than 3,400 fish (trout, catfish, hybrid
striped bass, Lg. mouth bass, hybrid bluegill)
caught in 2009 (49% increase over 2008)
•$10,000 in improvements.
Fairmont, WV
Secondary Aquaculture
Education in WV
 There are about 38 high schools or
technical centers in West Virginia that
offer aquaculture educational programs.
 $5,000 grants available in 2010 for H.S.
 Made possible with partnerships, private
foundations, and money from the W.Va.
legislature.
Lincoln County High School
Greenhouse generates income
Greenhouse for nutrient removal
and $12,000 income in 2009
Egg hatching jars
Contact Ryan Saxe: 304-824-6000 ext. 1028
Mountaineer Trout Farm, LLC
Record production in 2009
• > $627,000 in 2009 sales (up 39% )
over $400,000 (64%) sold out of state.
• Improved biosecurity and may
become SPF certified in 2010
2009 production
value: $627,000
• 180,000 lbs. of inventory (up 80%)
• WV Dept of Ag. Lab helps identify
disease in 2009 (no charge!)
• Began repaying loan principle.
Trout Lodge & Angler’s Resort
 Doubled sales of raw product
in 2009 (30% for out of state)
 Sold over $615,000 of product
in 2009 (36% increase).
 130,000 lbs. of live inventory
 Certified disease free (SPF) in
2008 and 2009
 Live hauling business is good.
 Cal Musick and Karen Tinscher
have improved production of
the smoking/processing area.
Jake admiring his trout
Rainbowhead Farms
Harrison, County
304-783-5025
•Increased fish sales in 2009
•Selling to Southern States
•Truck delivery to other states.
Allegheny Aquaculture, LLC
Boone Co.
35,000 trout fingerlings
in 2010 inventory
Divergent Natural Interests
Kanawha Co.
304-598-7117
Now selling fathead
minnows and trout.
50,000 hybrid bluegill sold in
2009
Increasing inventory of
catfish.
Fred Hays tending cages
2009 increased sales over
2008
Truck delivery to other
states.
Paul Fox
Pond Raised Striped Bass
 Contact: Paul Fox
Route 1, Box 163
Proctor, WV 26055
Telephone: 304-455-3817
 Stocked 5000 striped
bass in June 2009
New Business: Sugar Grove Trophy
Trout Farm: Jerry Bartley
Cheat River Stocking – 9th year
Trout for Cheat Inc. 329-1784 or 288-8097
• Over 15,800 pounds stocked during
10 stockings in 18 locations during
2009 (2-12 lb. fish)
•From Rt. 50 to Pringle Run area
•Funding is approved for 2010
•Uses locally (WV) raised trout with
local (WV) live hauler.
Indian Lake Fisheries
Kanawha Co.
 Jeff Tinscher – Elkview
 Improved rainfall in 2009
 Improved Fee Fishing
sales
 Supplier of Trout and
Catfish
 Capability to haul large
amounts of fish
Now buying all trout from WV producers!
Mountain Meadow – Grant Co.
 Handicapped accessible
 Successfully spawned/raised
10,000 fry in 2009
 Buying locally raised trout
 Growth in customers in 2009
Jody’s young crop of trout
Proposing the Aquaculture Development Act in
Charleston, October 14, 2009
A copy of the WV Aquaculture Development Act is in
the 2009 Winter edition of the Fish Tales Newsletter
WVCA and NRCS held workshops
featuring pond management.
Gary Kinder and WV Ag. staff join producers at
the Biosecurity workshop (sponsored by NRAC).
Brian Cole
New Coordinator for Aquaculture at Reymann Memorial Farm
Brian died of a brain aneurism on Christmas Day 2009
Memorial service is today, Jan. 16, in Mason, Ohio
West Virginia Fish Wagon
Providing WV raised fish to healthy consumers at
Feast on the Farm: 4 farms in Jefferson Co.
Trout supplied by Trout Lodge and Anglers Resort
More events planned for 2010
Contact Bill Grantham: 304-261-2054
Other news
 WVDNR simplified the permit for grass carp in 2009.
 The 2009 WV legislature passed a bill to change the
definition of agricultural waste. Aquaculture waste
remains classified as an Industrial waste which
restricts land application.
 Trout farm facility in Pocahontas County is for sale.
Call Morgan Sheets at 304-799-2390
 Aquaculture Development act will be introduced to
legislature to provide WV Dept. of Ag. a leading role in
support.