by Jeremy Johnson, Meat & Specialty Category Manager
Wisconsin is home to two amazing fish farms in Superior Fresh and Rushing Waters Fisheries. The two farms could not be more different in the way they raise their fish but both believe in producing quality products with as little impact on the environment as possible.
Superior Fresh
Superior Fresh, located in Hixton, Wisconsin, is the first and largest land-based salmon producer in the U.S., and the largest aquaponic farm in the world. An aquaponic system is when a recirculating aquaculture system is combined with a hydroponic system.
The process starts by incubating eggs in an on-site hatching room. Once they hatch, the fish are raised in a totally closed system that allows complete control of all inputs and outputs. The salmon are fed an organic diet rich in fishmeal and fish oil harvested from sustainable fisheries. Maintaining fish welfare is paramount throughout the production process. The current of the water in each tank is specific to the size of the fish, allowing them to swim continuously and receive proper exercise. Waste material is continually drawn out, while fresh, clean water is added, ensuring optimal water quality.
When the fish are about six months old, they begin the smoltification process; this is done by controlling the amount of light the fish receive to mimic nature. As the fish enter adolescence, they are moved to the grow out tanks where they continue growing for another year. Once they have reached 10 pounds, the fish are harvested and processed by hand.
Because the fish are raised in controlled systems, they are protected from diseases and environmental contaminants that can occur in river and ocean environments. The fish at Superior Fresh are never fed or treated with antibiotics or pesticides.
One of the benefits of raising salmon on land is that it eliminates the need to transport the fish over long distances and greatly reduces its carbon footprint. Fish in controlled systems cannot escape and do not interact with or impact wild populations.
In a typical land-based aquaculture system, the waste material produced by the fish must be removed, treated, and sometimes discharged. In aquaponics, that waste is repurposed. Bacteria convert ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates, resulting in nutrient-rich water ideal for growing plants. Once the plants absorb the nutrients, clean water is returned to the fish house. Superior Fresh produces three million pounds of organic leafy greens and 160,000 pounds of salmon each year, and does it without wasting a single drop of water.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program has ranked Superior Fresh salmon a “Best Choice” for consumers. Superior Fresh salmon also have substantially higher omega-3 levels than other fish. This is because fish oil is the only lipid source in the organic feed they use.
Rushing Waters Fisheries
Rushing Waters Fisheries & Trout Farm sits on 80 acres in Palmyra, Wisconsin surrounded by the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Rushing Waters has been raising trout since the 1940s, when they sold trout at Navy Pier in Chicago during WWII. In 1994, Wisconsin entrepreneur Bill Graham purchased Rushing Waters, hired Fish Biologist Peter Fritsch, and together they made a commitment to quality over quantity.
The trout are raised in crisp, clear 50°F outdoor natural spring-fed ponds, and are fed an all-natural, chemical-free, hormone-free diet. The fish are raised in an ecosystem that closely mimics a trout’s native habitat, where they have access to food they would find in the wild. Ponds provide grass borders, weeds and natural, sandy bottoms. This environment contains a diverse ecosystem that gives the fish access to food sources they would typically find in the wild, without chemical interference. Trout are also fed a special diet of soy-based fish food pellets. Aerators help to keep the pond water on the move and spread oxygen.
Rushing Waters’ rainbow trout are harvested by hand, year-round when they reach one to one-and-a-half pounds. Their life span is longer than some other farmed fish, approximately 18 months from hatchery to harvest, giving the trout plenty of time to grow.
After harvesting, Rushing Waters on-site processing plant readies the fish for distribution to grocers and restaurants throughout Wisconsin and Chicago.
Rushing Waters even allows you to catch your own fish with no fishing license required. They will even clean and pack your fish on ice for the trip home or you can have the experts cook the fish for you at The Trout House their on site restaurant.
