| NORTHERN ONTARIO AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Meeker's Aquaculture is owned and operated by Mike and Sharon
Meeker. Unique to Ontario cage farms, the Meeker family own and make
their home on the property directly adjacent to the cages on Lake
Wolsey.
Meeker. Unique to Ontario cage farms, the Meeker family own and make
their home on the property directly adjacent to the cages on Lake
Wolsey.
Meeker's Aquaculture put 3,000 rainbow trout in a homemade
net and cage in 1986 following two years of intensive site
evaluations.
This was the first commercial cage culture farm on Manitoulin
Island. The results were encouraging enough that the
production grew slowly until 1994, where it has stayed virtually
the same until the present day.
Meeker's employs between five and six full-time employees plus
additional part-time workers when the workload is heaviest.
Mike Meeker has initiated many innovations including the design
and implementation of Ontario's first submersible cage system;
fines removal feed delivery system; bottom sediment studies
with Laurentian University; and an ongoing fallowing project and
bottom sediment study with Environment Canada and the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Also onsite is a large composting operation that began as a
research project. Processing waste from the Little Current
trout processing facility combined with fish mortalities and
sawdust local mills produces a very marketable compost in a
short time.
net and cage in 1986 following two years of intensive site
evaluations.
This was the first commercial cage culture farm on Manitoulin
Island. The results were encouraging enough that the
production grew slowly until 1994, where it has stayed virtually
the same until the present day.
Meeker's employs between five and six full-time employees plus
additional part-time workers when the workload is heaviest.
Mike Meeker has initiated many innovations including the design
and implementation of Ontario's first submersible cage system;
fines removal feed delivery system; bottom sediment studies
with Laurentian University; and an ongoing fallowing project and
bottom sediment study with Environment Canada and the
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Also onsite is a large composting operation that began as a
research project. Processing waste from the Little Current
trout processing facility combined with fish mortalities and
sawdust local mills produces a very marketable compost in a
short time.
| Farm Profile |
| 2008 Premier's Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence Regional Award Winner |
Mike Meeker thought there had
to be a better destination for the
byproducts of Ontario's fish and
forestry industries than the local
landfill.
He experimented by churning
fish offal and sawdust together
in a modified cement truck on
his farm. The result is a
successful compost product that
has a high nutrient value for
lawns, flower beds and field
crops.
Today, approximately 1.5 million
pounds of fish by-product from
other fish producers in Northern
Ontario are used in compost
production. Up to 40 tonnes of
compost are produced each
week.
The product, sold in 30 lb tote
bags, has attracted big retail
partners like Costco, and has
drawn praise for its quality from
organic growers.
to be a better destination for the
byproducts of Ontario's fish and
forestry industries than the local
landfill.
He experimented by churning
fish offal and sawdust together
in a modified cement truck on
his farm. The result is a
successful compost product that
has a high nutrient value for
lawns, flower beds and field
crops.
Today, approximately 1.5 million
pounds of fish by-product from
other fish producers in Northern
Ontario are used in compost
production. Up to 40 tonnes of
compost are produced each
week.
The product, sold in 30 lb tote
bags, has attracted big retail
partners like Costco, and has
drawn praise for its quality from
organic growers.
| Compost Trials |
© Northern Ontario Aquaculture Association 2009 Updated November 11, 2009 Contact Webmaster |
| Photo Gallery |
