Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Welcome to the forum Ron!

Everyone at the state I have talked to say I dont need a permit at all as an individual; not selling fish. Of course one 1 species is allowed. Either way, I got bluegill this year

It costs $150 for the TDA license and $250 for the Exotic Species inspection. If there is no chance for escapement you should pass the inspection.

We've been growing hybrid blue gill and channel cats since last June. They are doing very well. We've eaten a few of the blue gill & they are excellent eating. We did use a heater in the tank with a greenhouse around the system and space heater for the freezing weather. I too am interested in raising Tilapia mossambica if I can get a breeding pair. Every place I've found has only GMT. The blue gill & catfish do very well in cold as well as hot weather, so we may just stick with them.

I have been raising tilapia and I know you have to get them grown out in 6 to 8 months. Once water reaches 70 they dont eat and grow. Once I get my breeding setup in place I hope to be able to supply myself and perhaps a couple others.

If the bluegill work out ok then I will continue raising them in the outside pond.

I have 20 lbs of fish I bought from overton fisheries near buffalo texas. I bought them march 17th though he normally would not sell them till the end of april. I told him I had a heated tank, so he sold them to me. They are currently doing well and I only have to run the heater on nights that it gets below 40 oF due to the greenhouse I have. The texas law permits the mossambica in texas to private facilities. THe stipulation is that you must keep the receipt and have it available for inspection.

The waste water permit issue is that for $100 dollars you can apply for an exemption. THe department of agriculture was given the jurisdiction over aquaculture that did belong to Texas parks and wildlife. Expect lots of confusion from this redistricting.

You shouldn't need that permit with ap, there is no wastewater.

Tilapia consist of 4 main species (used in aquaculture). The O.mossombica, O.horonum, O.aurea, and O.nilotica (and every hybrid in between). I am working with some male Rocky Moutain Whites, which when crossed with a O.mossombica produce a great fillet. The Rocky Moutain White is a cross between a O.nilotica and O.horonum.
Don
tilapiahybridpair.com

Hi Don.. welcome...

How about you start a thread and post some pics of what you're up to?

Most of the US members are using Tilapia... not allowed here in OZ unfortunately

Texas
Permit Required
https://www.texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/Aquaculture.aspx
There are instructions, permit costs,...on above web page and since it is a state web page everything is current.
Below is from a web article I copied.

1. Is it even LEGAL to keep Tilapia in Texas

There are four major species of Tilapia that can be kept for culture in Aquaponics: The Nile (Oreochromis niloticus), the Blue (O. aureus), the Mozambique (O. mossambicus) and the Wami (Tilapia hornorum). Of course, there are a now a huge number of hybrids out there that combine these different bloodlines into new varieties.
Tilapia
Legal Issues in TEXAS — Currently, the only species of Tilapia that can be owned in Texas without an Exotic Species permit is the Mozambique. This is due to the fact that this species cannot overwinter in native waters. “Mossies” will die when exposed to water temps under 65-70 degrees F for a prolonged period of time. The current law also state that any fish that possesses any trace of the Nile or Blue bloodlines is “Restricted”. This means that an individual that wants to keep these fish must also apply for a TPWD Exotic Species permit. (More on that below.) The fourth species, the Wami Tilapia (T. hornorum) is expressly forbidden in Texas and any fish that contains any portion of that species CANNOT be owned in Texas legally, regardless of the permit applied for.

The Exotic Species permit currently costs $263 for the initial application and must be renewed every year for an additional $27. The form itself is not very difficult to complete, but it does require several other permits/certifications. You will need to contact the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to obtain a wastewater is daily dose cialis on the tml formulary release certification and also the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Aquaculture Facility permit.

2. Current Transport Regulation For Tilapia

Question:
“Wait, TPWD just told me that I cannot transport any Tilapia fingerlings in my car?”

OK, so discussion about this, and similar concepts, has been going on for the past few weeks, I have to admit that it is actually almost completely true. Here is the skinny, direct from TPWD specialist Luci Cook, while it is legal to own Mozambique Tilapia for your own use on your own property AND it is legal to purchase them from an authorized dealer, there IS a law that clearly states that fish can only be transported by an authorized Fish Hauler.

Now for the explanation: when this law was written in the late 1990’s, no one had really heard about Aquaponics. Therefore, the only reason to transport fish was for stocking in a pond or lake. Since all Tilapia are considered “Exotic Species,” it was necessary to make sure that things were done properly, therefore the law was written in such a way that a licensed Fish Hauler was required to be the one to transport the fish.

With the recent surge in popularity of Aquaponics, many people are now wanting to keep small numbers of Tilapia for personal use in backyard systems. This is a problem due to the fact that this law is still in effect. What this means for anyone who wants to go buy some Tilapia fingerlings right now is that while they can legally purchase the fish and legally keep the fish at their home — that individual CANNOT legally drive the fish home!

TPWD is currently working on a revision process that would allow for Mozambique fingerlings to be transported with a new version of the current “Transport” waiver. This document needs to be amended to allow for transport by a private citizen for personal usage. The hope is that this process will be completed before the end of 2013. (It has been amended, just go to the web page at the top.)