Forums > Areas > Jalisco's Lake Chapala Region

TraderBob

Feb 11, 2008, 5:58 AM

Post #1 of 8 (2854 views)

Shortcut

Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I am trying to get more information about the fish farm in the Riberas area.
From a search of old posts on mexconnect there seem to be several folks who have a largish knowledge on the subject of tilapia farming.
One comment that I remember was that such projects are often funded by government grants and not really viable unless continuing grants are forthcoming.
It sounds like a great idea- is it?

jaybear

Feb 11, 2008, 3:35 PM

Post #2 of 8 (2816 views)

Shortcut

Re: [TraderBob] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Trader Bob, are you living in the Lakeside area, based elsewhere but interested in fish farming, or what? If there is a fish farm in Riberas, it is news to me. Not much action there in the agricultural arena--mostly this is a hot area for new houses for gringos. There is a Jalsico-government-sponsored fish farm going in on the other (i.e. south) side of Lake Chapala, near the turnoff to Mazamitla, or so I remember reading in the Guadalajara Reporter. This is an effort to find new ways of making fish, and thus create new sources of jobs and protein, the old ways having succumbed to pollution in the Lake.

TraderBob

Feb 11, 2008, 6:16 PM

Post #3 of 8 (2803 views)

Shortcut

Re: [jaybear] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yes I live here. I remember meeting you at one of Sandy's Thanksgiving dinners at Neuvo Posada here a couple of years ago :)

The information I have is there is a "women's fish farm" bieng constructed on the north side of the lake. near Riberas on ejido land.
I did not see the Guadalajara Reporter article, so I don't if know there may be another.

The one I know of is purportedly started by a government grant from the Secretary of Rural Development in the amount of $142000mx. As I understand it a lady by the name of Maria Elena Echeveste Garcia de Alba is in charge of it.

The reason I'm curious is a group I belong to here decided to support this effort, and I'm trying to get more information about tilapia farming as it may apply in this situation.

ecollard

Feb 12, 2008, 11:41 AM

Post #4 of 8 (2763 views)

Shortcut

Re: [TraderBob] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hi.
I am a very active volunteer with Amigos del Lago. We know about the fish farm plans that Dr. Echeveste is involved with. If you want more information, it would be best to contact her directly. She is bilingual (English/Spanish) and can be reached at nenaecheveste@gmail.com or 765-5418. She lives in Riberas and is on the faculty of the University of Guadalajara.
My understanding of her plan is that she wants to build a tilapia farm on ejido land north of the carretera, a farm that would provide sustenance for the ejido families that live in that area. She has raised some money for the project through the university but still needs to raise more. I don't know what plans she has for on-going maintenance of the farm.
There are a number of fish farms currently in operation around the lake. One of the most successful commercial farms is located in Jamay. It's called Aquamol and is operated by Alfredo, Cesar & Carlos Molinam. They can be reached at 392-924-0743 or aquamolsa@hotmail.com.
I hope this is helpful.
Eileen

skelleyhoutex

Feb 12, 2008, 6:32 PM

Post #5 of 8 (2745 views)

Shortcut

Re: [TraderBob] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yes, there is a fish farm in upper Riberas. My Unitarian church just voted to help support this project. It was started by a medical doctor in Guadalajara with a grant from the Mexican government. The land has been cleared and they have started digging the ponds. Five indigenous women will be working there at first - for that work they will get free fish. Then they will sell the fish at a nominal price to other indigenous women. These women all have large families who get next to no protein. The goal of the project is to get more protein into the diet of the indigenous peoples. The doctor will be speaking to our congregation in the near future. After the talk she is going to take us up to see the work done on the project so far. I will post when she is going to speak and anyone who is interested is certainly invited.

TraderBob

Feb 13, 2008, 6:25 AM

Post #6 of 8 (2724 views)

Shortcut

Re: [ecollard] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

Eileen- thanks for the response.
I did look at the Amigos del Lago website and saw a section labeled "Riberas fish farm" under construction with no info yet. Most of the folks I know in the area know nothing about this project, which surprised me.

I know nothing about Tilapia farming, but from the little research I have done so far I'm wondering if it is viable after startup, without continuous fundraising efforts. Then again, the community here seems to be a generous one, so that may not be a problem :)

I will get more info from Dr. Echeveste.

Jerry@Ajijic

Feb 13, 2008, 9:13 AM

Post #7 of 8 (2708 views)

Shortcut

Re: [TraderBob] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

I do not know anything about Tilapia farming being practical here but over 10 years ago when we worked at Disney World they were raising tilapia on their property and serving them in their restaurants.

mkdutch

Feb 13, 2008, 1:20 PM

Post #8 of 8 (2694 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] Fish farm?

Can't Post | Private Reply

One of these days, Mexico will be able to afford to stop all the pollutants going into the lake, allowing it to quickly return to its' pristine state (lake bottom excepted, of course). This has happened in the USA. Just a thought, but one wonders whether it would be feasible to raise the whitefish that Chapala Laguna is/was famous for using aquaculture as well as Tilapia. Not only might it contribute toward the survival of the species, but perhaps, if done on a large(r) scale, be able to substitute for the polluted natural ones the locals continue to eat. It would also be interesting to know: if the whitefish are netted as fingerlings from the lakes and transferred to an unpolluted environment, can they be raised and later consumed safely? If so, new stock for the fish farms could be obtained at low cost from the lake. Wish the good Doctor every success in her efforts. Her project sounds like a natural for this area....Dutch