New Mexico may never be a leader in aquaculture but some fish farmers are finding success in the arid state.
Rossana Sallenave, professor and extension aquatic ecology specialist at New Mexico State University, said the U.S. is among the top five consumers of fish and shellfish. She believes aquaponics, used to raise large quantities of fish and plants in relatively small volumes of water, is highly suited to promoting sustainable agriculture.
"I think the future here in New Mexico is recirculating systems," Sallenave explained. "Because we are running out of water and that's the area of aquaculture that is really gaining some traction here in New Mexico, particularly aquaponics."
Sallenave pointed out New Mexico's unique environmental and biological resources include 15 billion acre-feet of saline water. She noted it cannot be used for traditional agriculture or for drinking water but could be used for aquaculture. Global demand for seafood is projected to increase by 70% in the next 30 years and experts believe a dramatic increase in aquaculture could help supply food needs.
According to Sallenave, aquaculture, like most farming enterprises, is highly risky because many variables must be controlled over a long period to produce a marketable crop. If control is not maintained, a crop can be lost, resulting in substantial financial losses. But she emphasized it can be a viable enterprise for those willing to educate themselves, keep abreast of new technologies and apply what others have learned. And compared to traditional agriculture, aquaponics requires significantly less fresh water.
"You can grow protein and you can grow plants in a small recirculating system which needs very little water," Sallenave outlined. "Just topping off a little bit weekly to replace evaporative losses."
Sallenave added the site selected for an aquaculture enterprise, which must meet the biological criteria for the species proposed, has a significant effect on an operation's viability. One New Mexico success story is AmeriCulture near Animas, which started producing Nile tilapia commercially more than a decade ago using geothermally heated greenhouses in pure well water from a desert aquifer.
