(photos)

As opposed to extremely large commercial fish farms which sometimes produce millions of tons a fish a year, our operation is much smaller. We probably produce about 50,000 lbs a year. One reason we are smaller is due to the logistics involved in raising tilapia in an environment which is not warm all year around. Tilapia do not live very long once the water temperature falls below 55 degrees. Consequently, this makes for difficult logistics and a lot of work for a two person operation.

During the summer the fish are raised in a few dozen cages which float in the center of the 15 acre pond. The pond is fed from an enormous underground aquifer. Each cage, holding 700-800 fish, is strung out on a line across the pond to insure that each cage gets ample oxygen. Paddle wheels are run in the pond every night to guard against unpredictable drops in oxygen levels.

During the winter the fish need to come indoors as the pond water becomes too cold for them to survive. So we have to perform the arduous task of bringing each cage of fish over to the holding facility where they winter. They are not fed as much during the winter so they don't grow as fast. In their less than vigorous state they are more susceptible to problems and have to be closely monitored. The fish that don't sell from the holding tanks during the winter are returned to the pond once it warms up again.

Our fish are predominately sold to markets in Atlanta as well as to local markets. We also sell to local people as well as fish management companies.