Aquaculture in Idaho

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Aquaculture cultivates fish under controlled conditions for commercial, conservation, and recreational purposes. Idaho's aquaculture industry ranks as the third largest food-animal industry in the state and is the nation's largest commercial producer of Rainbow Trout. The aquaculture industry, including support industries such as veterinary services and feed production, employs approximately 800 people in Idaho. The aquaculture facilities in Idaho include both cold water facilities that raise trout, steelhead, salmon, and sturgeon and warm water facilities that raise catfish, tilapia, and tropical fish. These facilities consist of either a set of ponds or earthen or concrete raceways, situated in series (each pond flows into the next pond) or in parallel (each pond flows separately to the treatment system or discharge point). Private and government-operated aquaculture facilities must all abide by the same rules and regulations. Approximately 115 permitted aquaculture facilities exist in Idaho, nearly 70% of which operate in the Magic Valley, discharging to the Snake River or its tributaries. This webpage presents information about aquaculture and the environment, aquaculture regulation in Idaho, facilities, and waste management, including links to waste management guidelines, permit and certification processes, water quality plans, and additional information.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Ecology

SWAP (2/19/2016) citation:
[IDEQ] Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. 2015. Aquaculture in Idaho. [accessed 2015 Jan 12]. https://www.deq.idaho.gov/water-quality/wastewater/aquaculture/.