September 13, 2004

Aquaculture fall meeting features first-ever shrimp harvest

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Bring your lawn chair and a cooler with ice for Saturday's (Sept. 18) Indiana Aquaculture Association fall meeting and the Freshwater Prawn (shrimp) Harvest, where participates can purchase shrimp for a suppertime feast.

Steve Collins, president of Indiana Aquaculture Association and manager of Ozark Fisheries, said the event is open to fish and shrimp producers, as well as the general public.

The IAA fall meeting will begin at 10 a.m. at Ozark Fisheries, located just north of Martinsville, Ind., along State Road 37.

During the meeting, Collins will talk more about Ozark Fisheries, one of the nation's largest growers of goldfish. There also will be a discussion of new ventures in the aquaculture industry.

"We will bring attention to longtime established aquaculture businesses, such as Ozark, but more importantly this will bring attention to one of the state's newest ventures in aquaculture at the Connor Shrimp Farm, owned by Tim and Julie Conner," Collins said.

The day's program will continue with the prawn harvest at the Connor Shrimp Farm, which is located northwest of Martinsville. Charles Felkner, Purdue Extension aquaculture educator, said that this is the first year for the Connors to grow and harvest freshwater prawns.

In the afternoon session of the meeting, participants will witness the pond being drained and the prawns harvested, Felkner said. The harvest is tentatively set to occur during the noon hour.

Also during the event, there will be shrimp kabobs available for purchase and several free recipes will be available at the information tent.

For more information about the IAA meeting or the Freshwater Prawn Harvest, contact Collins at (765) 342-8086 or Felkner at (765) 412-2134.

Writer: Meggie Issler, (765) 494-8402, missler@purdue.edu

Sources: Charles Felkner, (765) 412-2134; cfelkner@purdue.edu

Steve Collins, (765) 342-8086

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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