Aquaculture Record Keeping - Technical Bulletin #08

Accurate and detailed records enable farmers to evaluate farm activities, improve farm performance, and increase profitability. Two basic types of records are essential for aquaculture operations: daily feed records and seasonal crop records. Daily feed records document the amount of feed and other activities performed on a daily basis in every pond on the farm. This includes physical details such as Secchi disk depth and water quality information, as well as financial details like unit cost, total cost, sale price, and total income. Each pond should have its own daily record with all the information for each pond on one record sheet. The daily feed record sheet typically includes four boxes to record the feeding response at each feeding, with categories ranging from "Excellent" to "Poor" based on the time it takes for the fish to finish their feed. At the end of the week, farmers should record the total amount of feed given to each pond, allowing for the calculation of feed conversion ratio and total cost of production. The last cell of the pond row is used to record any observations of the fish pond, such as water color, changes in feeding rates, or missed feedings. Additionally, a section at the bottom of the record sheet is provided for taking notes, which can be useful for recording unscheduled changes in the feeding rate or sample data. Seasonal crop records are used to chronologically document everything that goes into or is taken out of a particular pond. This includes fish counts and weights, as well as any other inputs or outputs such as water, lime, fingerlings, sample data, treatments, and harvested fish. The crop record sheet typically includes space to record the pond identification, pond dimensions, the species of fish being grown, and their purpose. The first column of the table records the date of any activity in the pond, while the next five columns indicate the type of activity being recorded, such as stocking fish or harvesting. The seventh column records the details of the activity, including counts, weights, costs, doses, volumes, and other relevant information. A harvest is recorded any time fish are removed from the pond, including dead fish and fish taken for personal use. The treatment category includes activities such as pond drying, liming, and water changes. By maintaining accurate and detailed records, aquaculture farmers can make informed decisions about their operations, improve efficiency, and increase profitability.