GIS-Based Analysis of Aquaculture Ventures In Wisconsin: An Evaluative and Predictive Approach to Aquaculture Facility Locations

The aquaculture industry in Wisconsin is comprised of over 2,300 registered fish farms contributing $21 million to the state’s economy. In recent years, the growth of the industry in Wisconsin has slowed and the number of registered fish farms is slowly decreasing. The reason for the decrease is unknown, but may be due to difficult economic conditions, high costs of production, limited markets, environmental restrictions, or the site location chosen for the fish farm. The objective of this study was to determine if site location characteristics play a role in the success of aquaculture operations. An evaluative model examining the environmental and socio-economic characteristics of fish farms was created using Geographic Information Systems. The characteristics looked at included: land use, soil types, slope, water quality and source, and proximity to major cities (markets). A predictive model was generated utilizing a multi-criteria evaluation procedure in the GIS software with characteristics from the evaluative model. This model determined suitable locations for sustainable system-specific and species-specific aquaculture facilities. The predictive model showed the water source of the farm had a strong effect on the success of the farm. There was a definite relationship between the soil type characteristics and successful farm locations.