Vancouver Island Univeristy is celebrating its success using its sturgeon farm to grow other food.
It’s been about 5 months since they built an aquaponics greenhouse and started using water from sturgeon tanks to feed plants.
Don Tillapaugh is the Director of the International Centre for Sturgeon Studies. He says the nutrients left behind by the fish are just right for plants, and the plants, in turn, help filter the water which is good for the fish.
Tillipaugh says they’re still figuring out which plants work best. So far they’ve had success with things like quinoa, Swiss chard and strawberries, but no luck with corn.
Sechelt’s Target Marine, which is already farming sturgeon and works closely with VIU, is also looking to get into aquaponics. It recently got a zoning amendment for its Porpoise Bay hatchery to allow for the new venture.
