Farming tilapia profitably

Low intensity RAS via Aquaculture Production Units is the entry into fish farming. High intensity RAS is for larger scale businesses.

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Industry Experts

William, Donovan, Hugo, Ross and the engineering team have many combined decades of experience in aquaculture and in business development. We're a powerful combination.

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Proven Systems

We use the same systems we sell. We know them backwards, inside and out.

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The Pilot Project is over. What we have learned.

Highlights

  • We farmed tilapia intensively at densities at a peak of 125 kg/m^3 stocking density
  • We never lost fish in any significant quantity
  • We reconfigured to reduce water usage to evaporative losses only
  • We farmed at ultra low power at lower stocking densities (off grid)
  • We never spent one watt in heating (or cooling) costs
  • We achieved growth rates spot on our growth charts
  • We improved FCRs to under 1.1:1 (indicative performance suggests under 1 is in fact possible)
  • Markets exist but are too fragmented and pricing too variable to scale a business as rapidly as we wanted to.
  • Smaller operations will grow in fits and starts – a scaled operation at 10,000 tons per annum is not for South Africa, yet. When it is, call us. You’ll need a billion rand. But you’ll make two billion.

Fish farming is not easy. It requires deep skills, lot of time and seed cash. This not a hobby or a small scale farming model (although we all do tend to start off this way).

In order to be successful in fish farming you will need

  • A plan – plan your business
  • Your full and undivided attention
  • Several million rand,ONCE you know what you are doing. Before you get there though a hundred grand will see your school fees paid.
  • It is possible to make money in the industry but it will not come quick.

THIS IS FARMING. No different to carrots, tomatoes or cows or sheeps. In other words this is long term, capital intensive and highly dependent on scale.

You will also need a market for your fish that you have farmed. That’s the easiest part – people want to eat fish, but they can’t find it. Enter…. you!

Match size of fish to demand for them at the right price and you’re A for Away. Do not be fooled into thinking pricing is not cyclical – it is. The bigger you get the more this will impact you.

This is not for the faint hearted – but then those who stick with it will make a lot of money. Think Rainbow Fish and get listed!

The Aquaculture Production Unit (APU)

The APU is the only useful tool to get you to the place where you can answer the question that only you can answer. No consultant can ever give you the insights into fish production that you need. They can only point you in the right direction. You have to do for yourself.