Commercial sales of crawfish in Louisiana date back to the late 1800s, and today's crawfish industry includes millions of pounds harvested from farms and natural habitats in the state. This publication covers a wide range of topics on crawfish production, including crawfish biology, pond design, forage management, stocking, water quality, harvesting, marketing and much more.

The purpose of this publication is to provide prospective pond owners with the basic information needed to understand the process involved in establishing and maintaining a quality pond.

Channel cattish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), is the most important species of aquatic animal commercially cultured in the United States.

Introduced by the LSU AgCenter in 2004, Ecrevisse is the first rice cultivar specifically suited as a forage crop for crawfish production.

Limited food resources near the end of the crawfish production season resulted in lower reproduction. Moreover, short-term feeding with high protein/high energy feeds in forage depleted ponds before crawfish burrowing seemed to mitigate the food shortages and even increased the spawning rate over those crawfish from ponds rich in forage.

Crawfish research and extension specialists in the LSU AgCenter often receive inquiries from producers regarding the need or benefit of liming ponds or fields used for crawfish production. The following article discusses calcium and water hardness requirements for crawfish, benefits and limitations of liming, and where to get your water and soil tested to determine if lime is required for your crawfish pond(s).

Whether from managed ponds or wild habitats, Louisiana’s crawfish harvests comprise two species – red swamp crawfish (scientific name: Procambarus clarkii) and to a lesser extent white river crawfish (scientific name: Procambarus zonangulus). Anyone considering crawfish farming should review current information available from the LSU AgCenter and discuss their projects or business plans with an extension professional. This document is Chapter 1 in the Crawfish Production Manual.

Water gardens or garden pools have become a popular part of landscape architecture in the United States. Water gardens are visually soothing and seem to connect people to the natural aquatic world. The esthetic value of water gardens is enhanced by the almost endless variety of design and planting options that make each one a unique and personal creation.

This glossary was developed to provide a better understanding of many of the terms used in the crawfish production manual. This document is the Glossary in the Louisiana Crawfish Production Manual.

Dr. Robert Romaire, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist, said the white spot syndrome virus that struck numerous ponds earlier this year may not be as much of a problem after all. He said research, partially funded by crawfish producers’ self-assessed fees, is being done to learn more about the disease.

Whether from aquaculture or the natural fishery, the supply of live crawfish is highly seasonal, with peak harvest occurring from March through June. Supply-and-demand relationships are reflected in price variations from year to year and from week to week during the crawfish harvest season. Because of restricted geographical areas of production, seasonal supply, unstable prices and limited consumer awareness, crawfish sales nationally have been limited but have increased in recent years.

Pond inundation, or flooding, begins the chain of events that establish the environment from which crawfish obtain most of their nutrients. Put simply, the forage crop serves as the fuel for a food web, with crawfish at the top of the food web. This document is Chapter 5 in the Louisiana Crawfish Production Manual.

Pond location, design and construction are the most important physical factors for successful crawfish production. Proper design and construction give the crawfish farmer better control over flooding, drainage, forage management, water circulation and harvesting. This document is Chapter 4 in the Louisiana Crawfish Production Manual.

Methods used for crawfish aquaculture involve little more than limited control of the environmental conditions under which these animals evolved. Farming practices are based on the annual water cycles and conditions to which these crawfish have become adapted over millions of years. This document is Chapter 3 in the Louisiana Crawfish Production Manual.

The challenge farmers face this season is to produce a crawfish crop as inexpensively as possible. When to flood, how deep to flood and managing water quality must all be considered so as to pump as little as possible.

Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crawfish) and P. zonangulus (white river crawfish) have similar ecological requirements associated with natural cycles of flooding and drying. Both construct burrows in which they survive and reproduce during temporary dry periods. The highest densities and most complex population structures usually occur where crawfish have been grown in the same location for several consecutive seasons. This document is Chapter 2 in the Louisiana Crawfish Production Manual.

Captured "red swamp crawfish" vary widely in color because of their diet and environmental conditions, but the most exotic colors occur because of mutations in the genes that are responsible for pigment formation.

Over the last several years, crawfish farmers have been switching to a slightly different crawfish trap – one constructed of ¾-inch square mesh wire in lieu of those made from ¾-inch hexagonal (6-sided) mesh. The square mesh traps are more durable and produce larger catches.

Catfish of the proper size are sold iced, frozen, or battered and breaded in the following forms: whole; dressed (deheaded, eviscerated and skinned); filleted; steaked; or as strips or nuggets.

Letter containing information managing water quality and the spacing of traps in the field.

Heavy rainfall and winter feeding tend to add up to conditions that can lead to brown blood disease in the spring. Brown blood is caused by the buildup of nitrates in ponds, which produces a result similar to carbon monoxide poisoning.

This special additional newsletter discusses storm water management in your crawfish ponds associated with Hurricane Ike. Brief information on federal insurance programs is included and the new date of the La. Crawfish Farmers Association annual membership drive.

September 08 Crawfish News. This newsletter addresses fall flooding considerations, storm water management, pumping efficiency and energy cost, and relationship of temperature and crawfish growth.

This article discusses the life history and biology of the Procambarid crawfishes, the red swamp crawfish and white river crawfish.

Unlike the red meat and poultry processing industries, catfish processing does not fall under the regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Before a catfish processor begins operation, however, he must contact local county health officials to comply with county health regulations and to obtain a health permit.

There are two methods used in the production of food-sized red drum. The more conventional method is semi-intensive culture in ponds. The other method, intensive indoor raceway culture, is unproven from an economic standpoint. This publication focuses on pond production.

(Distributed 09/05/08) Rain resulting from Hurricane Gustav across the crawfish-producing parishes of Louisiana may cause problems for crawfish producers, according to LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialists Greg Lutz and Mark Shirley.

Cattle, rice, sugarcane, crawfish, wildlife and alligators are among many of Hurricane Rita casualties in southwestern Louisiana.

Letter containing information on the affects of Hurricane Humberto on crawfish ponds and an announcement for the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association annual membership meeting.

This list is comprised of links to additional Web sites that provide pet turtle-related information.

General information about techniques used in hatcheries to produce hybrid striped bass are covered by this publication.

Catfish is now the fourth most popular seafood product in the U.S. The catfish processing industry has grown dramatically to keep up with the increasing demand.

When ponds are fertilized, nutrients stimulate the growth of microscopic plants in the water (phytoplankton). Phytoplankton is food for other organisms (zooplankton and larger animals) that are eaten by fish. Abundant growth of these microscopic plants gives water a turbid, greenish color (called a “bloom”) that can prevent light from reaching the pond bottom and reduce the growth of rooted aquatic weeds.

Basic methods used to control weeds include preventive, mechanical, biological and chemical techniques. Determining which of these techniques to use involves consideration of the target weed species, fish production objectives for the pond, secondary water uses and the cost of treatment options.

This report presents estimates of production costs for the production of crawfish and catfish in Louisiana for 2005.

The terms “baitfish” and “feeder fish” encompass a number of distinct species, each with its own nutritional requirements. Economic analyses clearly indicate that a feeding program is necessary for maximizing profit.

Production of fingerling and stocker red drum is normally practiced by hatchery producers. At the same time, these are completely different operations and require different areas, practices and expertise. Usually the larvae are secured at an age of about 3 days, and one of two methods of production is used. Only pond culture production methods are presented here.

The commercial production of catfish in the United States has increased at a phenomenal rate in the last three decades. By 1997, channel catfish culture was the largest aquaculture industry in the United States, with catfish production representing 72 percent (by weight) and 55 percent (by value) of the entire industry (U.S. Joint Subcommittee on Aquaculture 1999).

This list is comprised of contact information for pet turtle experts within the LSU Agricultural Center and the LSU - Baton Rouge campus.

Fingerling culture ponds are usually smaller than ponds used for grow out. The advantages to this practice, as well as food, water quality and harvesting requirements, are outlined in this publication.

The hybrid striped bass has becomea highly desirable substitute for the declining striped bass seafood industry. Aquaculturists have found these hybrids well-suited to pond culture,and current research is helping to improve culture techniques.

In some catfish or baitfish hatcheries, water in egg-hatching or fry-rearing tanks may have a condition called “gas supersaturation” that is harmful to fish. Gas supersaturation means that the water contains more gas at a certain air (barometric) pressure and water temperature than would normally occur if the water was allowed to come to equilibrium with the atmosphere.

Lakes and ponds can develop dense stands of aquatic vegetation that interfere with intended uses and destroy the natural beauty of the water. Most aquatic weed problems result from poor planning and poor management. Manipulating factors such as water, light and nutrients can help prevent weed growth.

Throughout the world, pond production of freshwater shrimp is usually based on culture of Marobrachium rosenbergii, which is native to the Indo-Pacific region. The tropical nature of the species hinders production in cooler climates. In Louisiana, the major constraints to production include cost and availability of post-larvae for stocking and temperature intolerance.

Including seafood as part of an overall balanced diet can provide many health benefits. This publication includes tips on selecting, storing and using seafood. (PDF Format Only)

The high fish densities demanded by the market effectively reduce the availability of natural foods for individual fish. Thus, intensively cultured fish are generally fed prepared feeds to support maximum growth.

The three main fish species raisedfor bait in the southern region are the golden shiner, the fathead minnow, and the goldfish. Together, these three species account for more than 90 percent of farm-raised bait and feeder fish sales in the United States.

Although other prawn species are indigenous to the southern United States, they do not reach the size of the Malaysian Prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). This quality makes the Malaysian Prawn an attractive option for producers.

The final phase of freshwater prawn (shrimp) production is grow-out of juveniles to adults for market as a food product. This publication provides guidelines for stocking and managing a fresh water prawn production pond.

This 1987 five-page article, written by Jay V. Huner and James E. Barr and published by the Louisiana Sea Grant Program, provides basic biological information on crawfishes, including taxonomy, anatomy, basic physiology, ecology and maintaining crawfish in aquaria for classroom activities. The material is suitable for high school-level biology.

July 2008. This newsletter has information on late-summer planting and management of crawfish forage crops, control measures for fall army worms, a brief overview on crawfish reproduction and an annoucement for an upcoming survey on crawfish production economics.

An ever-increasing number of private landowners are constructing recreational ponds to meet their fishing needs while avoiding congestion associated with public watercourses. Includes pond management and resource information.

The success of channel catfish culture depends on maximizing production in a cost-effective manner.The greatest costs are those associated with feed and feeding. Producers and researchers are constantly seeking new ways of lowering these costs. One way of reducing feed costs is to take advantage of the phenomenon of compensatory growth.

Feeding is the most important task in the intensive pond production of catfish, and the person responsible for feeding should be an experienced fish culturist.

Channel catfish require adequate protein in their diet for good growth and weight gain. Within certain limits, catfish grow faster as the protein content of their diet is increased. But when more protein is provided by the diet than fish can use for growth, the excess is used inefficiently as a source of energy or is lost through excretion.

Existing ponds normally do not need to be restocked. New ponds require 50-60 pounds per acre of mature crawfish. Drain ponds 2-3 weeks after stocking to allow time for crawfish to burrow into the ground.

Turtle farming has been practiced for decades in Louisiana. The industry developed to produce baby turtles, specifically red-earsliders (Trachemys scripta elegans),for sale as pets. This publication reviews commonly used production and marketing techniques.

During the summer and early fall, it is not unusual for fish kills to occur in commercial ponds under uncertain circumstances.

This publication was designed to serve as a guide to aquaculture-related red drum (redfish) literature. References are organized by subject. Publications that fit into more than one of the categories or that did not fall under any particular heading were placed under the General category.

Channel catfish, like all other animals, require a supply of vitamins for normal growth and health. By definition, vitamins are nutrients required to support growth and other bodily functions.

View the latest sampling results in a bar chart and table from 15 parishes.

This publication features a sample enterprise budget showing annual cost and return information and capital investment requirements for raising hybrid striped bass. It is based on recommended management practices and conservative estimates of hybrid yield, prices and cost for pond production in the southern region.

Striped bass and hybrid striped bass, in particular, have potential for culture in the United States as foodfish. Before embarking into this area of aquaculture, producers should know the biology and history of this fish.

The annual harvest of wild alligators and the collection of eggs from the wild are important aspects that contribute to the sustainability of the resource. Because these reptiles have a commercial value, landowners are more apt to protect the resource on their land and also protect the habitat that produces this resource.

Teachers' resource manual, based on grade level expectations (GLE), using crawfish as the subject model to provide teaching materials for the subject areas of English, Math, Science and Social Studies from grades kindergarden through 8th grade, and high school science laboratory excercises.

This table provides industry statistics, including dock-side price per pound, for Louisiana farm-raised and wild crawfish. Source of statistics is the Louisiana Summary, Agriculture & Natural Resources, years 1997 through 2007.

This document presents crawfish harvest production statistics in Louisiana from Aquaculture and Wild Crop from 1978 through 2007.

Forage species are primarily stocked in private waters throughout the Southeast as a food source for largemouth bass and other predator species. Unfortunately, the ideal forage species for all management situations does not exist. Therefore, managers often attempt to maximize largemouth bass production by stocking a multi-forage base. In many southeastern states, private landowners must rely on private hatcheries as sources for appropriate forage species.

A variety of factors can reduce populations in fish ponds during the spring.

Farming crawfish requires pumping water. Pumping water costs money. Although there is really no way to get around these facts, we can take action to minimize pumping costs.

May 2008 Crawfish News. This newsletter provides information on forage planting, liming crawfish ponds, and stocking new, existing, and recently renovated ponds.

White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) has been confirmed in crawfish in a number of crawfish ponds in south Louisiana and in the Atchafalaya Basin. This is the first time this disease has been found in Louisiana crawfish. WSSV is a virus that only affects crustaceans. It does not affect people or other animals.

The crawfish aquaculture industry, located primarily in Louisiana, has remained viable and resilient despite some considerable constraints. Success can be attributed to several factors.

It is important to purchase the best available catfish fingerlings when stocking commercial production ponds. Poor quality can result in delayed harvesting, underestimated stocking weights and disease transmission to fish already present in the pond. Fingerling quality is judged on grading, strain, health, and the supplier's reliability.

This document discusses the importance of managing bass and bream populations in your recreational pond and provides management recommendations.

The largemouth bass (Micropterussalmoides) is one of several “basses” that are actually members of the sunfish family. There are two recognized subspecies, the Florida and the Northern, which will blend genetically.

The securing of brood stock, inducing them to spawn and caring for the eggs until hatching require the most technical expertise of any phase of fish production. Red drum are no exception.

Freshwater crawfish of the genus Procambarus are a valuable aquaculture commodity in the southern United States, with annual production of 30 to 50 million pounds and farm-gatevalues of $25 to 50 million. Unlike fishes, crawfish are not harvested by seining. Instead, crawfish are harvested with a passive system that uses baited traps.

This report evaluates the economic impact of crawfish as a rotational crop on the rice enterprise, indentifying specific costs imposed on the rice enterprise unique to crawfish production and presenting relevant economic principles in the assignment of production costs to alternative farm enterprises from a farm accounting perspective.

Most fish grown in ponds, floating net pens or raceways can be reared in commercial-scale recirculating systems, but the economic feasibility of doing so is not certain. The challenge to designers of recirculating systems is to maximize production capacity per dollar of capital invested.

Recirculating systems are mechanically sophisticated and biologically complex. Management of these systems takes education, expertise and dedication. This publication addresses the problems of managing such a system so that producers can make informed decisions.

Recirculating aquaculture production systems may offer an alternative to pond aquaculture technology. Through water treatment and reuse, recirculating systems use a fraction of the water and land required by ponds to produce similar yields.

An up-do-date list of fingerling producers in Louisiana and surrounding states. The list provides contact information and names of the fish types produced.

Information on recirculating production systems, fingerling sources, stocking and harvest management, regulatory considerations, economics and markets are included in this publication.

This document discusses important aspects of designing and constructing a recreational pond, along with illustrations of pond layouts and drainage options.

March 2008 Crawfish News. This newsletter covers information on springtime pond oxygen management, supplemental feeding, growth of crawfish, handling and care of crawfish, white spot syndrome virus update, and legal considerations in shipping crawfish.

This fact sheet provides information on chemical test kits and meters for measuring oxygen, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and a list of vendors where oxygen-measuring kits or meters can be purchased.

January 2008 Crawfish News. This newsletter covers information on baits and baiting recommendations, commercial species of crawfish in Louisiana, algal scum problems in crawfish ponds and locations for February 2008 crawfish producer meetings.

This document discusses uses for ponds other than fishing. These include livestock watering, fire control, wildlife habitat and swimming. Includes figures.

The species of crawfish important in the southeastern United States are the red swamp crawfish (Procambarus clarkii) and the white river crawfish (Procambarus zonangulus). Culture methods are relatively simple compared to those for other aquatic animals. Crawfish culture can fit well with farm management plans because it uses marginal lands, existing labor and farm equipment during off-peak farming periods.

Aquatic weeds are a common problem in recreational ponds. This document discusses aquatic weeds and ways of controling them.

This document explains causes, effects, and solutions for oxygen depletion. It also discusses other causes of fish kills, such as chemical contamination.

This document introduces subjects that must be taken into consideration when creating a recreational pond, including permitting, public lands and waters, and liability.

This document discusses common nuisances and predators found in and around recreational ponds and gives suggestions on reducing their numbers.

This article discusses the procedures that should be taken to maximize the health of fingerlings when stocking your recreational pond.

This document discusses causes of muddy pond water and ways to prevent and control it.

This document provides information about when liming might be necessary and lime application methods.

This document discusses the importance of water quality to a recreational pond and water quality characteristics.