The College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s (UWSP) Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility (NADF) is sponsoring an aquaculture field day and vendors fair on Thursday, June 12, from 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in Bayfield.

In addition, UWSP’s Alumni Association will sponsor a fish fry picnic the next day (Friday) from noon until 2 p.m., held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association and the Wisconsin Aquaculture Industry Advisory Council’s quarterly meeting at the Bayfield Pavilion.

According to Chris Hartleb, NADF co-director and UWSP professor of fisheries biology, the aquaculture field day will include two workshops, one reporting the ongoing research projects at NADF and the other on testing fish feeds, nutrition, and techniques to control weeds.

Invited speakers from across the United States include Myron Kebus, a State of Wisconsin fish veterinarian; Rick Decker, district manager, Purina Mills, LLC; Jim Held, aquaculture outreach specialist; Bob Robinson, director of sales & marketing, Kasco Marine Inc.; Greg Fischer, facility manager, NADF; and Sarah Kaatz, aquaculture outreach specialist. The morning sessions will include "Sample Testing on the Farm;""Importance of Nutrition/Factors in the Current Cost of Feeds;" "Weed Control for Ponds;" "Research Updates from NADF;" and "Aquaculture Extension Updates." The afternoon sessions are practical skill stations including water quality, aeration, fish sampling and grading and larval feeding. Aquaculture vendors will be on site at NADF, having displays with information on their equipment and services.

The Thursday morning sessions will include an overview of NADF research projects including ongoing research on yellow perch, spotfin shiner, walleye grow out, brook trout feed trials and wetland effluent pond construction. In addition, there will be a talk on testing techniques for fish feeds and best practices for weed control.

The afternoon session features aquaculture vendors and their displays, a catered lunch and a myriad of demonstration projects.

Sponsors for this two-day event include UWSP’s College of Letters and Science, NADF, the Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection, UW- Madison Aquaculture Program, UW Extension and the Red Cliff Tribal Hatchery.

Current and prospective fish farmers, veterinarians with aquaculture practices, agriculture and natural resource field technicians and the public should attend.

The registration for the all day workshop is $55, which includes lunch and field day materials. There is an optional boat cruise of the Apostle Islands in the evening which is not included in the workshop fee.

The event will take place at Bayfield Pavilion and the Northern Aquaculture Demonstration Facility in Bayfield. Lodging is available in Bayfield.

To register and for a brochure with lodging information, contact Cindy Johnson, Wisconsin Aquaculture Association, (715) 779-3081 or e-mail Cindy@WisconsinAquaculture.com. For additional information of events, contact Ron Johnson, aquaculture outreach specialist, at (715) 779-3189.

-30-

Tm/ch/NADFFieldDay08