Inland aquaculture of red drum in freshwater from the Floridan aquifer : a feasibility/demonstration project. Final project report.

Abstract

This report describes a project in which redfish were grown in freshwater typical of the kind that is available throughout most of the state of Florida. Redfish fingerlings were grown from eggs at the Florida Department of Natural Resources Stock Enhancement Research Facility. Suitable water supplies for redfish culture were identified by chemical analyses and short-term rearing trials. Fingerlings were acclimated to freshwater and stocked into large tank systems supplied with mineralized well water. Redfish were successfully cultured to an age of one year in fresh water from a Floridan aquifer well. Survival and growth were judged to be very good and similar to those reported for wild juvenile red drum. The results indicate that freshwater redfish aquaculture is technically very feasible at inland (and coastal) sites throughout large areas of Florida.