FA R M P R O F I L E
Fish husbandry There are 14 growout ponds (averaging 70m long, 7m wide and 2m deep) for a total area of 0.5 ha. 1.5ha of fish out ponds and a small lake are also used for bait and lure fly-fishing; these have lower stocking densities (<3kg/m3) than the growout ponds (7kg/m3). The growout ponds have been built below the fishout ponds to enable the water to gravity feed through each of the ponds. Water is recirculated through a storage dam to reduce the amount of water used on the property. Tuki doesn’t have much of problem with birds as the growing ponds are netted. “We may lose a couple of fish from the fishing ponds and lake in the mornings before people are around but we can work with that. Usually most of the fish are too big (>300g) to be worried by the birds. “Water rats are a more difficult problem to overcome. Foxes only take dead fish killed by injury from the fishing.” The ponds support a large number and variety of aquatic animals (such as insects, yabbies and freshwater shrimp); a slow water exchange rate through the ponds ensures this potential feed is not swept out. For supplementary feeds Robert uses Aquafeeds. “These floating pellets are good quality and have natural colours. We only use a few tonnes of feed each year so this is not a big issue.” Just 30,000 fish move through the business each year for a total harvest of ten tonnes. The aim is for high quality fish products – fresh, cooked, smoked and pate – sold onsite at a good price. “We valueadd as much as possible,” Robert says, “with the tourism side of the business as people come here for a trout meal experience, whether it is a bus group, a family or a couple ‘looking to get away from it all’.”
Aquatic Eco-Systems has supplied the industry with tools, equipment and complete system packages for over 30 years. And free expert advice is always in stock. Online Orders: AquaticEco.com t InternationalSales@AquaticEco.com Phone Orders and Tech Advice: +1 407 886 3939 Address: 2395 Apopka Blvd. Suite 100, Apopka, Florida 32703, USA
Find us on
By Dos O’Sullivan All photos courtesy of Tuki Trout. For more information contact Jan and Robert Jones, Tuki Trout Farm, 60 Stoney Rises Rd, Smeaton, Vic 3364. Tel: 03 5345 6233, Fax: 03 5345 6377, Email: info@tuki.com.au, www.tuki.com.au
Autumn 2012 | Austasia Aquaculture 19