Freshwater Prawn Field Day Planned for Sept. 12

Cashion farmer Jeremy Eaton welcomes visitors to observe and learn as he harvests freshwater prawns (shrimp) from the pond on his farm northwest of Oklahoma City.

During the September 12 field day, Eaton will give a presentation on freshwater prawn production methods, potential problems, and harvesting and marketing information.

Following the presentation, participants will observe the harvest.  A question-and-answer session will follow.

Eaton received a 2008 Oklahoma Producer Grant from the Kerr Center to demonstrate the feasibility of raising shrimp in farm ponds as an additional income source for Oklahoma farmers.

The field-day harvest will be the second harvest of Eaton’s two-year project.  In the 2008 season, water quality, oxygen levels, and prawn growth rates all met his expectations.  In 2009, he is working to address challenges from predation, as well as improving containment of the prawns.

Eaton stocks the prawns, obtained from a Texas hatchery, in May or June, and harvests in September.  The production area occupies three acres of a farm pond.  He uses readily available commercial catfish pellets for feed.

In his project proposal, Eaton pointed out several advantages of freshwater shrimp production in Oklahoma farm ponds.  Using ponds for shrimp production provides an additional use for an asset that is already present on most farms. 
Shrimp are a healthy food that customers recognize and value.  They can be sold live, maximizing freshness and quality while avoiding the cost and regulatory hurdles of processing.

Moreover, with over $1 billion worth of frozen shrimp currently imported to the U.S. every year to meet demand, domestic shrimp production offers a large potential market. 

Since marine shrimp production for global markets often damages fragile coastal ecosystems, Eaton says, domestic pond-based production of freshwater shrimp can also form a more ecologically friendly alternative.

For registration information and directions, as well as information on other upcoming events related to sustainable agriculture, visit the Kerr Center's online events calendar or call 918.647.9123.