careers in aquaculture

Hi all

What career/jobs can a person follow in the aquaculture industry in South Africa??

Thanks

Nick van der Berg

 

One can find work at hatcheries. Research and publish work on different species. Start your own breeding scheme or import/export fish as a supplier. Start your own petshop or wholesale business.

 

Rhodes university has a brilliant 4 year BSc degree and BSc Honours degree in Ichthyology, Fisheries Science, Aquaculture, Zoology.
They might also offer a diploma course - not sure
They are world renowned
Check out their website.

 

I currently am doing that course in Ichthyology at Rhodes - finishing off my second year now and it's gone well so far. However, we've only begun to touch on the aquaculture side of things at this point. I understand that there is a little more emphasis in third year and postgrad years.

I did have a look at Sparsholt before being accepted into Rhodes @Reedfish. It was an option, but just so far away, and I felt the local option suited me better. I wouldn't mind taking up one of their husbandry courses sometime in the future, though.

 

@SalmonAfrica did you wright the NBT exam when entering university

 

@sick -lid man - I did do the NBT. It was recommended by the university that I do the test, although I got the idea that it was a 'just in case'. I don't know if they used the results of this for my acceptance or not. Other universities do take the results of these seriously - ask around. If you get in contact (usually easily found on the varsity web site) they should be able to tell you.

@Reedfish - it's all good, I was saying it was definitely an option from my side as someone seriously considering a career with fish. I've read a lot about them, and some students have even wound up back here in South Africa doing large projects.

 

@salmanafrica was the NBT hard test from what i hear you cannot prepare for it and no calculators allowed

 

It wasn't actually too expensive for the course itself (I felt for what I would have been getting out, it was worth it). But yes, considering exchange rates, transport and accommodation, then things got really expensive.

That is correct, no calculators allowed. The tests are tricky and it does require that you are prepared to work everything out on the spot, usually within a time limit. They don't only do maths though - there is a comprehension section as well.

I do apologize to the OP for going off track of the topic for a bit. I think it is time to return to the original topic...

@Nick

As for careers in aquaculture, it depends on what you are more comfortable with. There is aquaculture for the food industry, where you could work with anything from catfish to abalones to tilapia... plus many other species. Work could be done in this sector in working out possible new aquaculture species, or creating hybrids or strains that best suit farmers. Alternatively you could work with aquaculture foods - different species need different diets to maximize growth, all while considering costs. People need to work out ideal foods in this case. Another section of work is finding an alternative protein source for aquaculture feeds that doesn't come from the ocean...

Otherwise there is ornamental aquaculture. Several species do quite well in our climate, such that they may be maintained outdoors, or even in semi-closed structures. I haven't done too much reading with regards to this side of aquaculture, but it could be a profitable venture in that locally bred fish should in theory cost stores less than imported fish.

I've probably left out a lot, but it gives you some idea to some of the careers you can consider in aquaculture.

Regards,

 

You should also consider the aquaculture course which is part of the B Sc Agriculture course in Animal Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch. A B Sc in Agriculture course is a four year course which is practically orientated and the nutritional part is a focus in view of the fact that it is presented as part of Animal Husbandry.

For more information you can have a look at the University of Stellenbosch website and then search for Animal Sciences.

Kind regards,

Dirk

 

Give Schalk a ring at the Dept of Aquaculture at USB. His number is 021 8082545. I have dealt with him on numerous occasions and he is extremely helpful.

Regards

Andrew

 

I’ve been trying to get into the industry for a very long lime now and it is not that easy if you do not poses cash in your pocket.

I started a business plan/project that I would like to build up here in Mpumalanga that would cater for the local markets, as well as the tourism industry, restaurants and lodges that is of course.

Producing a low cost tilapia farm that would not just cater for the domestic families of the rural developing communities but as well as the tourism industry as stated above.

I really think that the climate is a profound objective in this case and would suite the production of tilapia and shrimp very well in enclosed containment.

My passion in life would be fish, because my father had a small pond of Koi many years ago, and of course was the ultimate adventure of discovering the way of life of these beautiful creatures.
I then took my course in aquaculture through Stellenbosch University as a distant course, and sure is helping me a lot with my plans for the not to distant future.

So, my business proposition was been given to the DARDLA in Mpumalanga and quite frankly, the said that I need to be BBEE of BEE before they could help me out with this project.

Well, I am assured that fish farming in a commercial or intensive production system would be of GREAT benefit to South Africa and his citizens.

 

Dear Kobusstand,

I hope that your plans work out, but fishfarming and aquaculture is a high risk business and you need to have a good idea of what you want to do and how you are going to market your fishes, the marketing is absolutely critical as you will be dealing with a product that can spoil or go off rapidly. You say that you want to target the rural developing communities, so you must realize that you will not be able to make your prices too high and that will mean that your business margins will be relatively low. You say, about the business proposition and I quote "and quite frankly, the said that I need to be BBEE of BEE before they could help me out with this project". From this, I assume that you are negative about the BEE, but you should think about this because this could help you massively with your marketing. If you had a local rural black colleague, who could do your marketing and you do the production, this could turn into a massive win win situation for both of you. So why don't you find a partner who can do your local marketing for you. And then you can both reap the benefit of what you propose here, I think it is an excellent idea. It will need hard work and commitment, but it can be done.

Kind regards,

Dirk