Farm Pond Project
Farmers Sought to Grow Trout in Farm Ponds
Many farm ponds in Massachusetts can be used to grow trout in cage
culture. Trout can be marketed to local restaurants, game clubs,
used for fee fishing ponds, or for stocking local fishing derbies.
Fish cages are simple to build, require limited maintenance and provide
an introduction to the possibilities of fish farming.
The Western Massachusetts Center for Sustainable Aquaculture (WMCSA)
is looking for farmers to grow trout in their farm ponds in 2005. Growers
will receive testing of their pond water, training in trout culture,
materials and instructions to build a trout cage, and 100 fingerling
trout. Participating growers will attend a winter workshop,
pay a small fee and complete a survey at the end of the project.
Craig Hollingsworth will coordinate the project, and Keith Wilda,
Director of WMCSA, will provide training sessions at the Cranberry
Station in Wareham and at the WMCSA in New Marlborough (Berkshires).
Farm ponds need to be a minimum of 8 feet deep, minimum of 5000
square feet of surface area (100’ x 50’), have vegetation
in or around ponds edge, be spring or brook fed year round and meet
water quality standards, determined by water testing performed by
WMCSA. A questionnaire to help determine whether
a farm pond is suitable for trout growth will be sent upon request.
Wilda and Hollingsworth hope to receive a grant to help support the
project, and are looking for interested farmers to enlist their support
on the grant application. Email: chollingsworth@umext.umass.edu (preferred)
or leave address information at: (413) 545-1055)
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