STEINBACH, MAN. THE CARILLON n C3
www.thecarillon.com n
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024
RIDGELAND COLONY PHOTO
A maze of pipes supply food and oxygen, as well as remove waste and recycle the water in the advanced rearing tanks at Ridgeland Aqua Farms.
Filling Manitoba’s trout market Continued from page 2C
allowing up to 200 tonnes annual- ly. Initially, plans had been to ex- pand their market beyond the pro- vincial borders. While waiting for Canadian Food Inspection Agency approval (which was delayed and delayed, and finally never mate- rialized), Waldner perfected the smoking process that was start- ed when the smoking facility was brought up to federal standards. Testing and the development of a nutrition label was carried out at the Portage Food Development Centre and Ridgeland worked out a quality management plan, he said. Ridgeland Aqua Farms aban- doned the idea of getting Canadian Food Inspection Agency approval, which in the end was proving to be extremely costly, and was con- stantly bogged down in red tape, and decided to depend on a Mani- toba market alone. Operating strictly on a provin- cial license and switching from arctic char to steelhead trout has been a worthwhile move, Waldner says. Currently, there is no trouble marketing all the trout produced. Waldner says they haven’t been ac- tively pursuing a direct consumer sales market or the restaurant market, but there is certainly room for increased production to serve those areas in the future. “There are not always leftovers, but there are usually a few five- pound packages available for pick up if you come by Wednes- day afternoon. In order to avoid disappointment, it is best to call ahead if you want more than five pounds.” Waldner says he keeps a list of people who would like to buy any surplus and if he is short one week, he promises to put those custom- ers on the top of the list the follow- ing week. Asked for his recommended method of preparation for steel- head trout, Waldner says he per- sonally likes it smoked, however it is good pan-fried or prepared on a cedar plank, as well. “I don’t eat nearly as much as I used to, when I took what was left over. Leftovers are hard to come by these days.”
If oxygen levels ever drop below a certain level, the computerized equipment will call Waldner on his cell phone. In the mechani- cal room, dozens of oxygen tanks stand at the ready in case any un- foreseen failure of the equipment will create a need for an emergen- cy oxygen supply for the fish. Much like fishermen, aqua-farm- ers raising steelhead trout must be patient. It takes approximately 18 to 22 months from the time the eggs hatch until the trout is ready for the frying pan. When Ridgeland Aqua Farms was raising arctic char, they oper- ated their own fish hatchery, but now they bring in 120,000 trout eggs a year. The fertilized eggs are flown in from the United States, 20,000 at a time, every two months. Eggs begin hatching within days of arrival, Peter says. During the growing period, fish pumps move the fish through grader pipes, which drop the fish into the appropriate growing tank according to size, small, medium or large. Fish are graded in this manner once or twice during the growing period, Waldner explains. After the trout reach a certain size, they aren’t graded any more. When the trout reach market weight of between four and five pounds, they are moved to a con- ditioning tank stocked with pure well water to get the fish ready for the processing facility next door. A large green pipe connects the barn and on processing day the fish swim over to the other building. They have been processing on average 1,500 pounds per week, Waldner says, but because orders fluctuate somewhat, there are al- ways a few extra trout in the con- ditioning tank to fill extra orders. All of the trout at Ridgeland Aqua Farms stay in the Manitoba market, and whatever is left after wholesale orders are filled is avail- able on a first order, first serve ba- sis. Ridgeland Aqua Farms’ web- site has price lists and a shopping cart, offering a convenient way for customers to pre-order trout for pick-up at the Colony. Waldner says in addition to fresh and frozen trout they have been marketing smoked trout for just over a year on a provincial licence,
WES KEATING THE CARILLON The thousands of steelhead trout are a hungry bunch and are delivered tonnes upon tonnes of shrimp meal pellets through an automated feeding system.
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