Fingerlings unit production management of rheophilic fish: production costs and best management practices

The aim of this study was to conduct a management analysis in a fingerlings unit production of rheophilic species in the state of Rondonia (Northern Brazil) in order to structure a system for performance evaluation, integrating production costs assessment and best management practices. Were collected primary data from farming enterprise and was analyzed costs behavior throughout 2010/2011 production cycle. Rearing conditions and property management were monitored in order to diagnose potential bottlenecks and to propose some solutions based on technical and scientific knowledge of good management practices in fish farming. A managerial analysis showed that due to the high amount of money spent on the production cycle defrayment, the nursery sector is the most costly one, and despite having a broodstock which provides satisfactory reproductive results, mistakes in the management of the nursery sector generate low survival rates, increasing the production costs. The enterprise needs to adjust the broodstock and fingerlings feeding rates besides introducing post larvae counting routines as well as control and monitoring ponds water quality and bottom soil.