The document proposes developing an aquaculture project for farming alligator gar to help protect the threatened species. It notes the US already farms catfish and tilapia commercially. Alligator gar could be raised in an environmentally friendly aquaculture operation to sell their meat and eggs to the Chinese market. Some farmed gar could also be released into the wild to boost natural populations while the rest are used for additional breeding, the pet trade, public aquariums, or restaurants. The project would require funding, permits, infrastructure for housing and caring for the gar, and ensuring protection from disease and poachers.

1. Fisheries and Allied
Aquacultures in the US
A Proposal of Interest

2. How are We
Doing So Far?
•Catfish
•510 million pounds
processed in the US
in 2008
•Tilapia
•20 million pounds
processed in the US
in 2007
•China is still our
biggest aquacultural
rival, but there’s a catch
—their food quality is
below FDA standards!

3. There’s More We Can Do…

4. Alligator Gar (Atractosteus
spatula)
• Economically important
– Southern delicacy
– Bowfishing
– House pets (small
specimens only)
• Threatened because of
overfishing
• March 26, 2009
– One kill per day for licensed
fishermen (Texas Parks and
Wildlife Commission)—this
will take effect September 1,
2009
– 233 comments in favor, 167
against

5. Natural Habitat
• Breeding:
– Sexual maturity at 8
years for males, 11-12
years for females
– Bright red eggs (toxic
to predators) laid in
aquatic grasses during
the spring
• Environmental
Requirements:
– 70º Fahrenheit
– Neutral pH
– Slow-moving water
– Readily accessible live
prey

6. What else do we do, seeing it’s
still threatened?

7. Aquaculture should be the most
obvious solution!
Environmentally Friendly is
Key
Things to Have prior to
[hypothetical] Project Gar
• $$$ (R&D)
• Legal permission to use the
land
• Water and Filtration
• Crewmembers
• Protection from disease and
predators (including
poachers!)
• Gar to raise and the means to
meet their
dietary/environmental/repro
ductive needs

8. Possible Ways for Project Gar to
Help the US
• Market gar products to the Chinese
– Gar fillets/steaks/other cuts
– Gar liver oil
– Gar-fin soup?
• Release a percentage of farmed gar into the wild after
breeding—keep the remainder for
– Additional Breeding
– Pet Trade
– Public Aquaria
– Restaurants
• Keep the TPWC law enacted for safety

9. Sources
• Barboza, David. “In China, Farming Fish in Toxic Waters”. New York
Times. December 15, 2007. Web
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/world/asia/15fish.html
• Hanson, Terry. “U.S. CATFISH INDUSTRY REVIEW AND OUTLOOK –
March 2008 ”. Auburn University, AL. March 2008. Web.
http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aquaculture/documents/08catfishreview09o
• Irwin, Elise. “Highlights of Agricultural Research”. Alabama Agricultural
Experiment Station. 2000. Web
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/winter00/fish
tales.html
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/winter00/gar.
html
• Reed, Aaron. “Alligator Gar Bag Limit to Go into Effect Sept. 1, 2009”.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. March 26, 2009.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20090326g
• Tompkins, Shannon. “Texas Gar Need Safeguard”. Houston Chronicle.
February 2009. Web.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/thingstodo/6252532.html#n
one

10. Sources
• Barboza, David. “In China, Farming Fish in Toxic Waters”. New York
Times. December 15, 2007. Web
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/world/asia/15fish.html
• Hanson, Terry. “U.S. CATFISH INDUSTRY REVIEW AND OUTLOOK –
March 2008 ”. Auburn University, AL. March 2008. Web.
http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/aquaculture/documents/08catfishreview09o
• Irwin, Elise. “Highlights of Agricultural Research”. Alabama Agricultural
Experiment Station. 2000. Web
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/winter00/fish
tales.html
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/aaes/communications/highlights/winter00/gar.
html
• Reed, Aaron. “Alligator Gar Bag Limit to Go into Effect Sept. 1, 2009”.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. March 26, 2009.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20090326g
• Tompkins, Shannon. “Texas Gar Need Safeguard”. Houston Chronicle.
February 2009. Web.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/thingstodo/6252532.html#n
one