AQUACULTURE
Career Development Event
Rules and Procedures

1.  Purpose

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing sectors of agriculture. Through this event students will have an opportunity to participate in completing tasks integral to most aquaculture operations and to prepare the final products.

2.  Description

    The aquaculture CDE consists of several tasks completed on a daily basis at aquaculture farms. Tasks include water quality tests, weighing fish and determining feed amounts, basic plumbing skills, harvesting filleting and packaging fillets, identification of common species and a written exam covering basic principles.

3.  Objectives

  1. use and understand aquaculture terms
  2. identify important species in the aquaculture industry
  3. recognize and use basic aquaculture equipment and instruments
  4. correctly determine feeds and feeding ratios
  5. process fish according to industry standards
  6. 2. To promote career choice in aquacultural occupations.

4.  Competencies addressed

A. Classify fish, shellfish, and crustacea in the aquaculture industry according to common name, scientific classification, habitat (warm/cold/salt water, pelagic, demersal, etc.), feeding habits, and status (endangered, common, native, exotic).

B. Cut, thread, and assemble common materials utilized in the aquaculture industry.

C. To test water for dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia and tank inflow in liters per minute.

D. To weigh fish and determine the correct feeding ratio for a given tank.

E. To fillet fish and/or process and package in the round.

F. Describe and identify management practices, diseases, equipment, facilities and production methods in the aquaculture industry.

5. General rules

a. A team will consist of four members. The team score will consist of the sum of all four contestants individual scores.

1. The contest will consist of three parts: (a) written exam; (b) species identification exam; (c) practicums (one practicum for each team member)

2. Species identification 100 pts. 30 minutes will be allowed for species identification. (20 species selected randomly from a list of 65, 1 pt. ea. for common name, scientific name, habitat, feeding habits, and status). Fish will come from the University of Arizona Fish Collection or from Arizona Game and Fish Educational Resources, (contact Kelly Burgett, Environmental Education Administrative Assistant. 2221 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85023, phone (602) 789-3220, also library references and Internet are suggested.

b. dress code: All contestants are expected to be in full official FFA dress covered by lab jackets.

c. materials contestants may bring:

1. water testing equipment
2. filleting knives

6. Event format

  1. The test will consist of a 50 question written exam 100 pts. 30 minutes will be allowed for written exam. Questions for written exam will be developed by the state aquaculture extension specialist, or from the aquaculture curriculum developed by The Council for Agriculture Education or from "Aquaculture" available from the Mid American Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc., 1500 West Seventh, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-4364 .
  2. Practicums (one per contestant at 50 pts. each). Practicum should be selected in advance.

Students will have 30 minutes to complete practicum. Practicums will consist of the following:

    1. Cutting, threading and assembling common materials used in the aquaculture industry
              (See detailed plans contained within.)

      2. Processing tilapia filets and/or trout in the round.
              (See attached scoresheet.)

3.Testing of tank water for dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia load, and liters per minute inflow.
         (See attached scoresheet.)

4. Given three fish to weigh and a tank consisting of 400 fish, to determine the correct feeding
     ratio based on 2% of biomass.

7. Scoring procedure

  1. Scoring will be as follows: a. 50 question written exam 100 pts. 30 minutes will be allowed for written exam. Questions for written exam will be developed by the state aquaculture extension specialist, or from the aquaculture curriculum developed by The Council for Agriculture Education or from "Aquaculture" available from the Mid American Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc., 1500 West Seventh, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-4364 .
  2. Ties will be broken from written exam score.
  3. Point system (see above)

 8.  References

  1. The Council for Agriculture Education – "Aquaculture Curriculum Guide"
  2. "Aquaculture" available from the Mid American Vocational Curriculum Consortium, Inc., 1500 West Seventh, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074-4364 .
  3. Arizona Aquaculture Web Site   http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/