Computer Software for Fisheries

Computer Software for Fisheries Aquaculture Design and Management

1.1 A Guide to the Financial Analysis of Shrimp Farming (spread sheet)

This Programme was written by Wade L. Griffin, Professor, Department

of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University and Granvil D. Treece,
Aquaculture Specialist, Texas A&M University, Sea Grant College
Programme, 1996.
In starting a shrimp culture business, one of the first steps is to develop a
business plan. The business plan should contain a statement about the
business and a financial plan. Once the basic business plan has been
developed, it is necessary to demonstrate the economic feasibility over the
planning horizon of the venture. This type of analysis is required by banks
or investors for determining the financial success of the venture. The
purpose for this Programme is to assist the user in conducting an econom
ic feasibility analysis of a shrimp farm. To achieve this objective a financial
analysis is conducted for a hypothetical intensive shrimp farm on the Texas
coast. The hard copy of the analysis accompanying the diskette shows the
results of the analysis and a "read me" file explains how to use the model
and how to customize it to suite the users needs. The model includes seven
(7) tables: 1. Unit Cost, Production, and Financial Assumptions; 2.
Construction and Equipment Needs; 3. Farm Production and Inputs Used;
4. Capital Transactions and Various Financial Assumptions; 5. Pro Forma
Cash flow Budget (Profit and Financial Return); 6. Pro Forma Balance
Sheet; and 7. Pro Forma Income Statement (break-even analysis,
sensitivity analysis). This financial model fo r a shrimp farm is developed
in a fully integrated spread sheet. For example, if you want to change your
stocking density, the model will automatically make all the changes to your
cash flow, balance sheet, income statement, and rate of return.

1.2 Softcrab Educational Programme

Educates potential investors in recirculating soft-shell crab shedding systems.
Some input data is not user accessible, realistic defaults provided. Generates
income and cash flow statements. Source: Louisiana Sea Grant College
Programme, Marine Resource Economics, Knapp Hall, Louisiana State
University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA

1.3 Shellfish Farm Spreadsheet and Economic Analysis Software Package

Provides prospective and practicing oyster farmers with estimates of profitability
of user-defined oyster farms. Supports comprehensive financial analyses. May be
adapted to other types of shellfish operations. User should be familiar with
spreadsheet software. Source: New Jersey Sea Grant Communications Office.
1.4 AquaSim PC
A unique financial management Programme for aquaculture enterprises
incorporating uncertainty and adaptive management practices. All production
parameters and cost/price values, and associated uncertainty values, are user
specified. Analyzes affect of uncertainty on financial performance and
probability of farm survival and economic success. Generates a variety of
summary statements for up to ten years of operation. Source: Dept. of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland at College Park,
2200 Symons Hall, College Park, Maryland 20742-5535, USA.
1.5 AquaDEC
A combination of budget and financial decision support tools that can be used for
both start-up and on-going aquaculture businesses. Generates a variety of
financial statements and supportive information including investment valuations,
loans, depreciation and recovery, start-up and fiscal year balance sheets, monthly
cash flow, income statement, equity, and marketing. Includes menu driven
analyses and graphical outputs. Source: Sea Grant Advisory Programme, G022
McCarty Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA.
1.6 Aquaculture Price Analysis
Generates enterprise budgets for freshwater fish farms (catfish, crawfish, and
other freshwater fish). Reports income, variable costs, fixed costs, and net returns
before taxes, standardized on a per acre basis and based on user-specified
production levels. Limited input data and ability to customize to site-specific
considerations. Source: Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Extension
Computer Technology Group, Special Services Building, Room 105, College
Station, Texas 77843-2468, USA.
1.7 Mariculture Price Analysis
Generates enterprise budgets for marine fish farms (shrimp, redfish, and other
marine fish). Reports income, variable costs, fixed costs, and net returns before
taxes, standardized on a per acre basis and based on user-specified production
levels.

Limited input data and ability to customize to site-specific considerations.

Source: Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Extension Computer Technology
Group, Special Services Building, Room 105, College Station, Texas 778432468, USA
1.8 Catfish Budget
Generates enterprise budgets for new and existing 5 and 20 acre catfish ponds.
Reports income, variable costs, fixed costs, break-even sales cost, and risk rated
net returns. Budgets may be customized to fit individual farms, but fixed values
include harvest size (1 lb), mortality rate (6%), and stocking rate (3500 fish/acre).
User should be familiar with spreadsheet software. Source: University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension Service, Management Operations, Athens, Georgia
30602, USA.
1.9 Enterprise
Provides a complete 12-year financial analysis for a defined shrimp mariculture
facility. Limited user-specified inputs. Intended for illustrative purposes. User
should be familiar with spreadsheet software. Source: Texas A&M University
Sea Grant College Programme, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843-4115, USA.
1.10 AQUAFarmer V1.1
ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY SOFTWARE FOR RECIRCULATION
AQUACULTURE ; Fisheries Victoria (Department of Natural Resources and
Environment, Victoria) has recently released an economic feasibility and
financial planning modelling software tool called AQUAFarmer. The bioeconomic model used can be classified as a non-optimising budget simulation
which uses the growth, and FCR and mortality characteristics of a particular
species and cash and accrual accounting principles to arrive at performance and
profitability measures. Various scenarios using different bio-economic inputs
(including risk) can be compared and contrasted. Version 1.1 has been
specifically designed for recirculation aquaculture technology. The software has
been developed to assist the emerging recirculation aquaculture industry and land
based farmers who want to more thoroughly utilise their water resources by
developing small scale fish farm systems to provide supplementary income. A
comprehensive overview can be found at http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/ (via
fisheries and aquaculture, aquaculture, business investment)

1.11 The Aquaculture Planning Simulator (APS)

A database module of the two aquaculture information systems of the FAO,
SIPAM and SIPAL. An analytical tool for evaluation of project proposals by
comparison of technical and economic parameters against similar projects already
in operation and included in the database. Required software: runtime version of
Knowledge Pro and access to Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA)
through CD-ROM or Dialog via modem. Source: Mario Pedini, Fishery
Resources Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Via Delle Terme Di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy
1.12 Aquaculture Development Decision Support System (ADDSS)
A prototype DSS for planning and developing the aquaculture industry in a given
region. Uses a combination of econometric models and databases to provide
guidance on the most appropriate species to culture, production technology, and
level of production intensity. Source: PingSun Leung, Dept. Of Agricultural and
Resource Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore
115, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
1.13 AquaFarm
A comprehensive, Windows-based decision support system for designing and
managing a full range of crustacean and finfish production facilities, including
static and recalculating green-water pond systems, intensive water reuse and
recirculation systems, and flow-through systems. The software provides:

Expertise in aquacultural engineering, simulation of user-specified

facilities, decision support for facility design and management planning,
and data management functionality
Flexible levels of analytical complexity and full user access to (1) all
facility and fish stock specifications, (2) facility management methods, and
(3) all parameters and methods of the physical, chemical, and biological
models used to simulate aquaculture facilities
Generation (prediction) of facility climate and water quality regimes,
facility operation and fish culture schedules, and enterprise budgets in
tabular and graphical formats.

Source: Bioengineering Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

97331-3906, USA

Chapter 2 : Pond
2.1 Pond
A Microsoft Windows-based decision support system for warm water pond
aquaculture. Simulation-based pond dynamics and fish performance projections
provide a comprehensive and integrated analytical framework to compare
alternative production strategies for warm water finfish production, including
stocking, feeding, fertilization, liming and water management practices.
Generates graphical outputs for examining facility climate variables, water
temperature and quality, bacterial, primary, and secondary productivity, pond
fertilization and liming, natural and artificial fish feed utilization, and fish growth
and survival. An in-built parameter estimation package generates fish growth
parameters from user supplied fish growth data. An integrated economics
package enables enterprise budget generation for each production trial. Source:
John Bolte, Biosystems Analysis Group, Bioresource Engineering, Oregon State
University, Corvallis, OR 97331-3906, USA
2.2. NID-Tech
Water quality management and environmental assessment, aquaculture and
fisheries calculations. Source: Dr. A. M. D'Silva, Environmental Research
Laboratory, Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of
Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721,
USA
2.3 Aquasyst
A collation of seven individual Programmes designed for aquaculture
management, particularly salmonids under intensively managed conditions.
Management tools include record keeping, statistics, fish feed and production
projections, and fish waste and required space projections. Provides status
reports, including observed vs. expected information. User specified fish
performance parameters. Source: Sterling H. Nelson and Sons, Murray Elevators
Division, PO Box 7428, Murray, Utah 84107, USA
2.4 CARPplus and CARPplusII
A hatchery and grow out management tool applicable to any fish species.
Calculates fish feed, growth, number, and harvest schedules. Estimates fish space
and water flow rate requirements. User specified fish performance parameters.
Source: Aquasoft, PO Box 853, Gresham, Oregon 97030, USA

2.5 AquaCAD
Software for designing ponds. Provides capabilities for calculating levee base
widths, heights and volume. Plus all other calculations needed to estimate the
volume of earth to be removed for pond construction. Source: AquaCAD Pond
Designing Software, 10508 Cooperlake Road, Bastrop, LA 71220, USA.
2.6 DSS for Mariculture Regulation
Uses a combination of models and quasi-expert system methodology to assess
environmental impacts of finfish aquaculture in coastal environments.. Source:
William Silvert, Habitat Ecology Division, Biological Sciences Branch,
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, P.O.
Box 1006, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 4A2, Canada
2.7 Aqua Assist
Aqua Assist is a management system for marine fish farms.
System features
Fully Relational Multi User Networked Database Engine
Site Location and Pen Position
Towing
Fish Stock types (species) and levels
Dive Records
Feeding Schedules
Fish Health/growth/deaths
Environmental monitoring data
Stock levels and order information with direct orders to major suppliers
Pen and Plant Maintenance
Security Controlled
Swim Thru Monitoring

Source: Robert Bronstein, IT Manager, Aqua Assist, 50 Nankoor Cres Howrah,

Hobart 7018, Tasmania Australia
2.8 AP/1 - Shrimp/Fish Pond Management
AP/1 is a decision support system for shrimp and fish pond management. Specific
tools include (1) Pond Harvest Estimated Price, (2) Forecasting, (3)
Parameters(Microbiological, Environmental, Physical-Chemical), (4) Sample
Management (Estimated vs True Factors), (5) Feed/Density Estimation Tool
(based, among other considerations, on Pond Productivity and quality of the feed,
(6) Graphical Analysis, (7) Stores historical information(Comparative), (8)
scenario testing (modelling). Source: Luis Fernando Martinez, Lansol S.A., San
Martin 110 y la Ria Guayaquil, Ecuador.
2.9 AquaCalc 1.0
AquaCalc (version 1.0) is a series of 12 pre-Programmed, easy-to-use calculators
that do many of the basic calculations required to design and run an aquaculture
facility. Funded by Texas Sea Grant, the software was developed by EcoMar
Mariculture. Whether the user is working with finfish or crustaceans, this
Programme can be a real time saver. The Programme is organized into three
categories - design calculators, operations calculators and conversion calculators,
and comes with a detailed users manual. AquaCalc 1.0 has been tested and used
by commercial aquaculture facilities (both finfish and crustacean) for the
monitoring and daily control of important parameters such as oxygen, NH3
production, feed rates, pH and alkalinity, and un-ionized NH3. AquaCalc
software can also assist with converting a variety of units commonly encountered
in aquaculture, such as biomass, productivity, energy, power, flow rate, nitrogen,
oxygen, length, area, mass, temperature, alkalinity and volume. The user can
quickly convert meters to inches or feet, or convert hectares to acres, litres to
gallons or to cubic meters, temperature in degrees C to temperature in degrees F,
and many more conversions. aquaCalc includes conversions for shrimp such as
count-per-pound of shrimp and carapace length. It also includes finfish
conversions such as standard length or fork length to whole weight, and many
more useful conversions to assist the fish and shrimp farmer make their job easier.
Source: Texas A&M University, Sea Grant College Programme, 2700 Earl
Rudder Fwy South, Suite 1800, College Station, Texas 77845. USA.

2.10 ProManager, Harvest Optimizer, Wizard, Water Wizard, Foodman An

integrated and complementary set of software tools for aquaculture production
management. Provides input, storage, and analysis of all production data,
including fish stocking, water quality, feeding, mortality, and harvest. Generates
data reports, tables, and graphical outputs. Provides production forecasting and
scheduling capabilities for fish feeding and growth, optimal fish harvesting, and
water management. Fish performance parameters are user accessible. Foodman
is a comprehensive accounting system for the food distribution industry.
Source: Island Science, PO Box 564, 1650 Indian Valley Road, Novato,
California 94948, USA.
2.11 Pond Class
A decision support system that provides guidelines for freshwater pond
fertilization and liming. Nutrient requirements for a pond are calculated using
limnological principles. A linear Programming algorithm enables calculation
least-cost inorganic and/or organic fertilizer combinations that meet the predicted
nutrient requirements. Lime requirements are calculated on the basis of soil pHpercent base saturation relationships developed for major categories of soil types.
Version 1.2 provides limited capabilities for simulating pond water temperature.
Source: Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture CRSP, Office of International Research and
Development, Snell Hall Rm. 400, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
97331, USA.
2.12 Fish
The Fish Information Storage and Handling Programme produced by Anglesea
Software is provided free to BOCM Paul's Fish Feed Group customers.
Customised for each farm. Handles all the normal stock record keeping and feed
calculations. Source: BOCM Paul's Fish Feed Group, Renfrew Mill, Wright
Street, Renfrew, Scotland PA4 8AH.
2.13 Pisces
Supports fish culture research activities, including calculation of oxygen
saturation, estimated biomass, and recommended feeding rates. Stores oxygen
levels and fish transfer events. Source: Software Development Group, PO Box
18027, Boulder, Colorado 80308 USA.

2.14 Feed Formulation Software

Feed formulation software that produces least cost diets based on linear
Programming. The software can handle up to 1000 nutrients and 1000 ingredients
per product. The software generates a variety of reports showing ingredient usage,
nutrient composition and costs, along with rejected ingredients. Versions are
available in Spanish, French, German, and English. Source: Dr. Michael A.
Stachiw, Format International, Inc., 10715 Kahlmeyer Dr., St. Louis, MO 63132.
2.15 Fish Vet
Multi-media diagnostic Programme that aids in the diagnosis and treatment of
fish diseases. Considers disease symptoms, water quality, and nutrition
parameters. Includes 150 colour photographs and supports various languages
besides English. Source: Fish Vet, Inc., 12620 Ivy Mill Road., Reisterstown,
Maryland 21136, USA.