Rodbaston Aquaculture Center, part of Staffordshire, England-based South Staffordshire College’s aquaculture resources, which combine student experience with a commercial business, has hit a milestone with sales reaching the 5 million fish mark.
The business is located on a 180-hectare Staffordshire parkland estate that forms the college’s Rodbaston Campus. Within the fish hatchery, carp production facilities take the process from the development of eggs, with the parent fish kept in the college’s own natural still-water pond, through spawning, larvae-hatch and growth from the fry stage through to a three-month old fish of about 2 to 3 inches. While some are retained on site the majority are then moved on to other fish farms or fisheries.
Simon Marvin (pictured) runs the operation, which has provided more than 5 million young carp, tench and ornamental fish including Shubunkin, Goldfish and various Koi varieties, for customers across the U.K.
“We operate a totally enclosed biosecure site with regular fish health inspections and viral screening from CEFAS. We actively encourage visits to our fish hatchery and this is something which gives our customers a real sense of confidence, when they are looking to buy for their stock ponds.”
“The quality of these fish is outstanding and the appearance of them is stunning,” said Roy Marlow, Owner of Mallory Park Fisheries, a customer of the aquaculture center. “I don’t give out recommendations very often but in the case of Rodbaston I have no hesitation in doing so.”
The high level of biosecurity on the site is one of the major factors in guaranteeing buyers the right quality of stock and very high survival rates, which are paramount in commercial operations.
“We are fully CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture Science) registered. Students can learn most of what they need to know about brood-stock conditioning, egg incubating, early rearing, growing and holding,” said Marvin. “Perhaps most important of all they can see how to make a business run in this sector with both the carp and the ornamental fish. Aquaculture is a fully integrated part of South Staffordshire College and we are a functioning business enterprise with profits to generate and customers to please.”
