Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing segments of United States agriculture. Its popularity and success as an investment opportunity and a means of diversifying farming operations have resulted in a growing interest among traditional agriculture producers and others. As Americans have become more health conscious, the demand for fish farm's production has increased. It's estimated that aquaculture could be supplying about 25% of all the seafood consumed. From trout to salmon in the north, to bass, yellow perch, tilapia, and ornamentals in the Midwest, to catfish and crawfish in the south, the opportunities for establishing a profitable aquaculture enterprise are great. This CD-ROM and workbook were developed as a result of several years of discussions among the Cooperative Extension Service, Sea Grant outreach educators, and industry experts regarding the need for development of computer-based instruction on the fundamentals of aquaculture. This workbook serves as a guide for use of the CD-ROM; it provides technical information, business planning forms, and example examination questions for instructors teaching aquaculture courses.
