Mariculture (Marine Aquaculture) - Home Study
Learn and gain skills in salt water aquaculture
- Deals with the farming of salt water species of fish, shellfish, seaweed and other marine products
- Learn to plan and manage the farming of a wide variety of marine life
- Self paced study, expert tutors, start anytime, 100 hours of learning to give you a sound foundation in marine aquaculture.
The term “Mariculture” refers to a sub-category of Aquaculture that deals specifically with Marine Aquaculture.
According to the FAO the term “Mariculture” (in its present usage) may be defined as:
“The culture of marine organisms, both plants and animals, in an aquatic medium or environment which may be completely marine (sea), or sea water mixed to various degrees with fresh water. This definition would include both the sea and inland brackish-water areas. These can be freshwater or salt water organisms, or have development phases in both types of waters.”
Lesson Structure
There are 11 lessons in this course:
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Aquaculture Production Systems
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What is Mariculture
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Purposes of mariculture
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Classification of culture systems
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Extensive production (Ep)
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Intensive production (Ip)
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Classifications based on system input
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Open systems (off-shore and near-shore)
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Semi-closed systems
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Closed systems (on shore)
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Common culture method for each marine category
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Cage culture
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Cage design: Floating flexible, floating rigid, semi-submersible and submersible
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Hanging Culture: Raft and suspended trays
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Long-line culture
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Vertical or rack culture
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Bottom culture: Bottom sowing and cultch lines
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Stone, stake culture, net and umbrella culture
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Semi-enclosed: flow through tanks
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Closed Systems (CAS): Recirculating, raceways, and inland ponds
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Starting a Marine Aquaculture (Mariculture) Business
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Economics of establishing and running a farm
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The need for a feasibility study
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Economic analysis
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Requisites for establishing a business
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Factors to consider
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Industry competition
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Availability of leased and quotas
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Economy of scale
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Site selection and water quality
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Properties of salt water
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Water quality management
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Environmental impacts.
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Food chain problems
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Using wild broodstock
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Nutrient pollution
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Chemical pollution
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Spreading pathogens
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Escapes
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Habitat effects
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Managing environmental impacts
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Improving the genetic quality of fish
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Biotechnology
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Choosing a Species
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Choosing a marketable species
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What information is available?
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Understand your competition before selecting a species
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Common mariculture species
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Selection criteria
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Climate
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Water resource
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Finance
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Scale of operation
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Market demand and access
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Availability of animals
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Risk considerations
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Product markets
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Product, price and promotion
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Finfish
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Industry overview
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Types of mariculture
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Broodstock/seed supply
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Growout
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Commonly cultured species
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Tuna
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Atlantic salmon
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Steelhead Salmon (Saltwater rainbow trout)
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Yellowtail (Japanese Amberjack)
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Sea Bass
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Gilt-head sea bream
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Water quality management
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Crustaceans
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Industry overview
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Types of mariculture
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Broodstock/seed supply
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Growout
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Commonly cultivated species
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Penaeid shrimp (prawn)
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Graspid Crabs
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Lobster
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Molluscs and Echinoderms
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Industry overview - molluscs
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Types of bivalve culture
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Broodstock/seed supply
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Growout
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Abalone
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Oysters
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Cultured mussels
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Scallops
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Giant clams
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Industry overview - echinoderms
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Types of mariculture
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Breedstock/seed supply
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Growout
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Commonly cultivated species
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Sea Urchins
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Sea cucumbers
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Seaweeds and Aquatic Algae
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Industry overview
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Types of mariculture
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Broodstock/seed supply
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Land-based cultivation systems
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Tanks
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Ponds
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Sea cultivation
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Farming methods
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Vegetative cultivation
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Cultivation involving a reproductive cycle
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Commonly cultivated species
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Laminaria japonica
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Porphyra sp.
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Undaria sp.
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Eucheuma seaweed
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Pharmaceuticals
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Pharmaceutical value of marine organisms
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Examples of species used in marine biotechnology
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Sea urchin
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Sea cucumber
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Marine sponges
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Seaweeds (algae)
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Diet Formulation and feeding
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Feeding strategies
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Nil input
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Water fertilisation
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Supplementary feeding
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Complete diet feeding
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Fish feed
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Feeding and feed components
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Environmental problems associated with fish feeding
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Mycotoxins in feeds
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Aflatoxins
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Ochratoxins
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Fumonisins
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Trichothecenes
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Managing mycotoxins in prepared feeds
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Health Management – Diseases and Parasites
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Causes of disease
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Health management and mitigation strategies
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Treatment of diseases and parasites
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General principles
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Common signs that fish are unhealthy
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Common diseases of finfish
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Emerging pathogens
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Common diseases of crustaceans
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Common diseases of bivalves (molluscs)
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Harvest and Post Harvest Handling
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Examples of product forms
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Harvest/post harvest handling of selected species
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
ENROL AND LEARN MORE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. What will these studies lead to?
A. When you understand aquaculture, you have an improved capacity to understand all aspects of marine aquaculture.
People who have studied aquaculture are better equipped to succeed, and that is an advantage in any situation, either as farmer, an farm employee, or working in a farm supply or service business.
Q. Can I get a credit toward a Certificate or Diploma if I wish to continue further studies after this?
A. Yes; both with our schools in Australia and the UK and with a number of affiliated colleges across the world
Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (e.g. Get sick, go on holidays, have a baby).
A. Apply for an extension. It's OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.
Q. What level is this course?
A. We designed this course with adults in mind, and with the flexibility to allow students to work to a level that they are comfortable with. People who have a university level education can approach their work in greater depth, and will have the support of an expert to guide and support them. People who have far less experience and education, may work to a lower academic level, and may take longer to complete studies; but with persistence, they will (with help from tutors) still achieve the minimum goals set for the course. This course should not be seen as rigidly being a degree, diploma or certificate level; rather you should simply see it as an opportunity to extend your skills and knowledge in this discipline, starting wherever you currently are, and finishing with a heightened understanding and capacity to work in this field.
Q. What do I get as a student?
A. First, understand a good course is quite different to a book or a web site
•A course should be something that changes you; making things stick in your mind, improving your capacity to do thing, remember things, solve problems and understand the subject
•A book on this subject is a reference that can be read, but might not be understood as the author intended, and most of which probably will not be remembered unless a lot of time is devoted to studying it.
•A web site is like a book; except there is a stronger likelihood that it could contain biased and even incorrect information.
An ACS course differs to books, seminars, web sites and other sources of "information" in several key ways.
•It is a constructed learning pathway that is designed with the purpose of bringing about a change in the student
•It is constructed by a team of experts, credible in their field, from across the world (it reflects input from many people, from different countries and climates. (A book more commonly reflects only one).
•Every student is guided as an individual through the learning experience. The learning pathway and the precise information encountered is commonly different for every single student.
•You are monitored; motivated and where necessary your path is corrected as you move through the course. A book is a one way communication (a monologue), whereas a course is two way communication.
•A course filters out and organises information; serving you up a quantity of resources that is "digestible" in a way that is designed to help you digest it.
ACS provides all essential learning resources (eg. notes or books), and all the tutor support that is needed to successfully complete a course. Some students may choose to buy extra books -but this really is not necessary.
Q. Will I have problems with practical tasks, because I cannot travel or attend workshops?
A. Our college has developed lots of ways of providing for practical learning, that can be done by anyone, anywhere and anytime. Students come from over 150 countries, and the practicals have never been a factor that has stopped someone completing their studies in this course.
All courses include set tasks that add a practical element to the learning experience, but we often give options.
Courses are as far as possible written to cope with the widest range of situations, from people living in antarctica to someone confined to their home due to illness.
Example -We may ask you to visit a workplace and observe something; but also say or if you have restricted mobility make a virtual visit, on the internet, if possible, or if not, by reviewing a place through an article in a magazine. If you can't find
reference material, ask us and we will send you what you need.
If the course does not provide an option that is achievable, you contact us, and we will give you other options.
