Monday, September 30, 2013

Treating Fish Farming As a Business Opportunity




Before people were used to operating traditional businesses like starting a shop, a salon or the normal farming of maize, beans and other farm products. However, due to technological dynamism in all sectors, people are moving away from these well known businesses.

Fish farming is not stressful or demanding like some other businesses like chicken rearing especially from day chicks to mature ones. The motivation of this comes from the fact that the sources that were relied on to supply fish are no longer adequate, and also the emerging markets abroad, thus making fish farming an excellent way of making money, and making this industry popular.

The income from fish farming is potential considering that its meal is popular is most restaurants in some countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Starting fish farming doesn’t need you to be an expert but to understand some specific steps to do the right thing right from the word go.


Steps to successful fish farming

·         Coming up with a plan and the strategy to market your product (fish). It is also at this step that you also consider the financial implications involved bearing in mind that, most successful businesses need capital. It is here that all start up needs are determine and the vision of the business.

·         Obtain the necessary licences, come up with a business structure that fits your business desire, and register your business with the relevant authorities’ local, state and or federal agencies.

·         Since this is a business, it is important and advisable to decide on the type of fish you want to keep or whether it’s more than one type of fish.

·         Now you are getting somewhere in your desire of becoming a fish farmer. Now build a home for your fish. This however depends on the type you would want to keep, the habitat that you come up with has to efficiently work for them. If what you have is fresh water fish then make sure that you have a lake and pond as a way to maintain the water temperatures. Enough land is necessary also because at times fish farms filter in the water from the main supply which maintains the temperature level ensuring everything is kept clean. It also ensures that there is enough swimming space for your fish.

·         It is important to have a breeding pond, this can be in one area and make sure its  separate from the fish that you don’t want to breed. Make sure that there is a system of ensuring that the fish is fed, the water is clean and the water is pumped in and out of the pond.

·         Now you have everything ready but you don’t have the market for your product. So make sure that you find the market. These could be individual customers, small or big stores that are looking for fresh fish. There are those customers who would want their fish shipped to them, in this case find out if they would want the fish alive and any other mechanism necessary to get your fish to your intended market.