Cost drivers of commercial-scale marine finfish hatchery production in southern tier US states

The United States has the resources to become a leader in the production of marine finfish and has developed a series of national strategic plans that include increased support for the growth of commercial marine finfish production. An economically viable hatchery phase of production is necessary to supply fingerlings needed for growout production. Published research literature, supplemented with data from U.S. redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus) commercial farms, was used to develop cost analyses of 100 hatchery scenarios. Full investment and total annual costs were estimated for seven marine finfish species (black drum, Pogonias cromis; black sea bass, Centropristis striata; cobia, Rachycentron canadum; hybrid drum, ♀Pogonias cromis x ♂Sciaenops ocellatus; redfish, spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus; and striped bass, Morone saxatilis) for which evidence was found in the literature for viable broodstock holding and fingerling production in ponds. Additional scenarios were developed for hatcheries that used only recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for the above-named seven species and six additional species (Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua; Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus; red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus; seriola, Seriola spp.; tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis; and white seabass, Atractoscion nobilis). Five production scales were modeled for each species in each production system. The models were constructed by developing and linking submodels for quarantine, broodstock holding, egg incubation and larval rearing, and larval phases of production. An additional submodel was developed to capture costs of vehicles and equipment for which it was not possible to pro-rate annual fixed costs across the hatchery phase submodels. Five of the seven species for which ponds could be used to hold broodstock and raise fingerlings were profitable, but none of the all-RAS hatchery scenarios showed profitability. The greatest costs were incurred in the nursery phase. The greatest opportunity to increase cost efficiencies and reduce costs in marine finfish hatcheries was to increase yields (kg/ha in ponds and kg/cubic meter in RAS) in the nursery fingerling production phase. For all-RAS hatcheries to be profitable, nursery yields would need to increase three to six times that of the maximum biomass values reported in the research literature. There is a strong need for well-replicated production trials in ponds and in tanks to identify stocking densities and sizes that optimize fingerling production. Such studies require ponds and tanks of sizes that effectively mirror water quality and other conditions of commercial scale production. Longer-term needs include the development of domesticated broodstock that reduce dependence on wild harvest.