This week on the FarmHouse, a podcast by Lancaster Farming, we're talking to Brittany Peachey, the aquaculture operations manager at Hudson Valley Fisheries in Hudson, New York.
Peachey's interest in aquaculture was born from an aquatic biology class in college. After earning her master's degree in aquaculture nutrition, she came to work at Hudson Valley Fisheries, a fish farm that specializes in sustainably raised steelhead trout.
Peachey was recently awarded the New York State Fair Golden Hoof Award, which is given in recognition of outstanding animal care and husbandry.
She acknowledges it's unusual for a fish farm to be considered for such an award and is grateful not only for the honor but for the opportunity for fish to be included in animal welfare discussions.
"Fish welfare is increasingly important in the marketplace, not just from a business point of view but from an ethical point of view as well," Peachey said. "People will argue, do fish feel pain? And to be honest, I don't think from a producer standpoint we need to think that way. Let's assume that they do and then grow them in the best way possible."
Peachey works in many aspects of Hudson Valley's operations, including its recirculating aquaculture system, or RAS, which allows the facility to reuse 95% of its water.
"RAS farms tend to be more efficient with water resources as compared to more traditional forms of fish farming. So, we're producing more fish with less water," said Peachey.
In addition to using an RAS, Hudson Valley sends fish waste to a composting facility to be used for fertilizer, continuing its emphasis on sustainability while catering to a growing market.
Peachey argues that the comparison between farmed and wild-caught fish should be put to rest, particularly given sustainable aquaculture practices and the risks of overfishing.
"With fish being such a healthy protein source, we want people to eat more fish. Where's that going to come from without the price skyrocketing? It's going to be aquaculture," said Peachey.
