West Virginia Aquaculture Facts
From the 1998 Census of Aquaculture

General Information

(Food fish are fish reported as farm raised for food or food/sport such as carp, catfish, perch, salmon, etc. Totals may not add due to rounding.)

West Virginia has 27 aquaculture farms involving136 acres, reporting $691,000 in sales.
The 27 farms raising food fish reported $687,000 in sales. Of the total food fish sales reported, 41.9% was sold to processors, 9.8% was sold to retail, 0.8% was sold directly to consumers, 1.1% was sold to live haulers, 46% was sold through fee-fishing and recreational use, and 0.4% was sold through other categories.
One farm raised ornamental fish but did not report on sales.
Twenty-two of the farms used on-farm surface water, 4 used groundwater, and 1 used off-farm water to raise the fish.
Nineteen of the farms raised the fish in ponds; 12 farms used flow-through raceways or tanks; 3 used closed recirculation tanks, and 1 used cages. (Some use more than one method.)
One farm produced under cooperative agreement or contract for OTHER farms, and 1 farm produced under cooperative agreement or contract for THIS farm.

Catfish

The 5 farms involved in catfish production reported $5,000 in sales, one raised broodfish, 2 raised foodsize with a live weight of 4,000 lbs., 2 raised large foodsize, 1 raised both large and small stockers, and 1 raised fingerlings. (No quantity or value data is given for last five categories.)
One farm reported distributing catfish for restorative or conservation purposes, but no quantity or value data were given.

Trout

The 23 farms involved in trout production reported $664,000 in sales.
Twenty-two farms produced 316,000 foodsize trout with a live weight of 362,000 lbs. and reported total sales of $649,000, averaging $1.79/lb.
Five farms produced 15,000 stocker trout with a live weight of 6,000 lbs. and sales totaling $10,000 with an average of $1.63/lb.
Four farms produced 18,000 fingerlings with a live weight of 1,000 lbs. and sales totaling $5,000 and average sales per 1,000 fish/eggs of $279.47.
All of the stocker trout produced was sold through fee-fishing and recreational use.
Of the food size trout produced, 41.4 % was sold to processors, 9.7% was sold to retailers, 0.5% was sold directly to consumers, 1.2% was sold to live haulers/brokers, 46.8% was sold through fee-fishing and recreational use, and 0.4% was sold to other category.
Nine farms reported distributing trout for restorative or conservation purposes, 2,237,000 trout fish weighing 757,000 lbs were distributed, and 3 farms reported distributing trout eggs or seed/stock for restorative or conservation purposes.

Other food fish

Seven farms reported $19,000 in sales of food fish other than catfish and trout. One farm sold foodsize hybrid striped bass, and 1 sold hybrid striped bass fingerlings; 2 farms sold foodsize salmon; 2 farms sold foodsize tilapia; and 1 farm sold walleye stockers. (No quantity or value data were given in these categories.)
One farm reported distributing walleye for restorative or conservation purposes but gave no quantity or value data is given.
Two farms reported distributing bass for restorative or conservation purposes, but no quantity or value data were given.
One farm reported distributing “Other fish” for restorative or conservation purposes, but no quantity or value data were given.

Sport or Game Fish

One farm reported sales of bluegill and 1 farm reported sales of largemouth bass but no quantity or value data were provided.