Aquaculture Potential for Hornyhead Chubs

摘要

The hornyhead chub (Nocomis biguttatus) is one of the most valuable baitfish species in Minnesota. Culturing hornyhead chub supplies valuable baitfish to anglers and generates income for fish farmers and baitshop owners in Minnesota and other northern states. Hornyhead chubs can be reared in aquaculture facilities and sold through baitshops to anglers, who are often willing to pay $5 to $6 per dozen. Because it is illegal to import baitfish into Minnesota, such prices put harvesting pressure on wild populations. Culturing hornyhead chubs relieves pressure on wild populations while keeping the market adequately supplied with this desirable bait. This technical bulletin describes how to spawn and grow hornyhead chubs produced in an outdoor spawning system and an indoor over-winter growout facility.