THE RAPID GROWTH AND INTENSIFICATION OF THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY HAS INCREASED THE DEMAND FOR CHEAPER PROTEIN INGREDIENTS (FEED) AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INCREASED SOLID WASTE PRODUCTION. BOTH THESE PROBLEMS CAN BE MITIGATED BY THE PRODUCTION OF INSECT MEALS, SUCH AS BLACK SOLDIER FLY LARVAE (BSFL). IN FACT, RECENT REPORTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT BSFL CAN PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY REPLACE FISHMEAL, WITH PARTICULAR SUCCESS OBSERVED IN SALMON. MOREOVER, THE IDEAL FOOD FOR BSFL IS ORGANIC WASTE AND BY-PRODUCTS THAT IS INEDIBLE TO HUMANS, AND THUS CAN IMPROVE WASTE MANAGEMENT ON AQUACULTURE FARMS. HOWEVER, A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE WIDE-SPREAD USE OF BSFL IS THE DIFFICULTY IN THEIR PRODUCTION, WHICH IS PARTLY DUE TO INEFFICIENT DESIGNS, WHERE INCUBATION, HARVESTING AND PROCESSING ARE OFTEN SEPARATE SYSTEMS. IN THIS PROPOSAL, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A NOVEL ALL-IN-ONE STACKED DEEP DIVE (SDD) SYSTEM THAT IS BOTH STREAMLINED AND SELF-REGULATING. WHILE THIS IS SIMPLER AND LIKELY MORE COST-EFFECTIVE, FULL-SCALE TRIALS ARE REQUIRED. TWO MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE PROPOSED; 1) TO COMPARE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF BSFL AS WELL AS COST-EFFECTIVENESS WHEN PRODUCED IN THE CONVENTIONAL OR SDD SYSTEM, AND 2) DISSEMINATE THE OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE TO FARMERS AND PROVIDE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SDD SYSTEM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR INPUT FOR FURTHER DESIGN MODIFICATIONS. THE POTENTIAL SHORT-TERM APPLICATIONS TO FARMERS ARE TWO-FOLD; PROVIDE A HIGH VALUE PRODUCT (BSFL) FROM UNWANTED ORGANIC POLLUTION (FISH WASTE, FISH CARCASSES, SPOILED FEEDS), WHICH CAN BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR FEEDS AT THE NURSERY STAGES. IN THE LONG-TERM, IMPROVED BSFL PRODUCTION COULD GREATLY FACILITATE AQUACULTURE SUSTAINABILITY BY REDUCING OUR RELIANCE ON FISHMEAL AND PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY METHOD FOR WASTE DISPOSAL.
$24,885FY2021National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
University Of Arkansas System, Batesville