Agriculture department asks for public input on Minnesota aquaculture plan

Minnesota has an enormous sport fishing industry. It’s also an important agricultural state. But when it comes to fish farming, or aquaculture? Not so much. The industry peaked twenty years ago, with around $8 million in revenue.

But there are many who believe the industry has untapped potential in Minnesota.

And now, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is looking for public input on its new draft state aquaculture plan — the first update to the plan in more than 35 years.

“What we are trying to do in the planning process is getting the word out to folks about what aquaculture is, what it can do for the state, and how we can basically create an economically and environmentally sustainable aquaculture industry,” explained Don Schreiner, a fishery specialist with the Minnesota Sea Grant Program at the University of Minnesota.

Most aquaculture in the state is currently for bait fish and for fish stocking programs. The last state plan doesn’t even mention raising fish for food.

Minnesota Sea Grant is currently wrapping up an aquaculture market study. Preliminary results suggest there’s a market for aquaculture for food production.

“People in Minnesota are willing to pay a bit of a premium for locally grown aquaculture,” said Schreiner. “The folks that are producing fish in Minnesota have no problem selling those fish in the marketplace, and actually, right now, we’re hoping more people get into it, because there certainly is a demand for it.”

The draft plan assesses the current state of the aquaculture industry in Minnesota. It also lays out recommendations for marketing, research, policy and other areas.

The plan can be found here. Comments are accepted through Wednesday, Dec. 18. Officials expect to present the final plan to the state Legislature in February.