The Royal Tila tilapia farm was established in 2008 by Francis Dames. This sustainable fish farm in Punta Gorda, FL is an example of how businesses can put a stop to overfishing and make a profit at the same time. The year round operation is in the process of being certified organic and 100% green. This efficiency without the use of chemicals is possible through the process of aquaponics. Aquaponics is a process that uses the relationship of plants and fish together to filter out plant wastes and reduce toxicity. The wastes are then sold to be used as natural fertilizer.
The 7,000 gallon tanks above are part of the farm’s expansion project to help produce more fish to fulfill buyer’s demands. The fish that have reached preferably 1 1/2 pounds, are then shipped out live or fresh on ice.
The tilapia fish are fed algae based protein feed which is quickly renewed and replenished. The fish are raised without the use of chemicals so they are thus healthier for consumption. The biggest buyers of the farm’s fish are from NY and Houston. The demands for sustainable fish continue to grow as consumers learn more about the effects of overfishing on our oceans.
This fascinating system is part of the water filtration process that removes fish wastes. The cleaned water is then pumped back into the fish pools for reuse. This process reduces the need for harmful chemicals to clean the water.
This photo shows a closer view of the wastes that have been removed by the filter system. What once caused water pollution, can now be turned into a useful organic fertilizer.
Visit the Royal Tila website at http://www.royaltila.com/Special thanks to Jorge L. Pang for giving a tour of the Royal Tila tilapia farm.
Want to learn more about how you can help in stopping overfishing? Please visit Seafood Watch’s website for ideas. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
The articles in the links below shine light on a major problem that is hardly discussed; fishing “bycatch“. Bycatch means the commercial fishing boat unintentionally catches other types of fish while fishing for a particular species. These other fish typically die and are thrown away, resulting in a large amount of waste. This is the main reason that fish caught in the wild are not always the best alternative.
Thanks for posting about this aquaponic farm. We hope to see this place after our visit to ECHO Farm in Fort Myers, FL --Lenn
ReplyDeletehow many pounds of tilapia do you sell regularly?
ReplyDeleteI do not work at Royal Tila Tilapia Farm, I just wrote about their farm. On their website, you can select "contact" and ask them questions. http://royaltila.com/
ReplyDelete