Report on a Live Flounder Holding Project on the Eastern Shore of Virginia

The goals and objectives of this Grant Program were to ascertain if live fluke could be held in a low tech flow through seaside tank system and sold later when market prices were higher? We have also tried to determine how wild fluke will be affected by changes in temperature and climate and whether they can be trained to feed on raw fish or other feed? We sought to determine if weak and stressed fish can be identified and removed from the tank prior to affecting healthy fish in the tank? And if not, can any resulting disease in the fish be controlled in the tank? Over the course of the Grant Program, we have collected data in order to show whether our goals and objectives were attained. We built a facility, constructed a circular tank, installed pumps and aerators, employed various methodologies relative to fish collection, transportation, and feeding, handled problems as they arose, and ultimately marketed our product in a timely manner and at a price sufficient to determine the project worthwhile. Ultimately we determined that fluke can be profitably held in a tank for sale in the live market at higher margins than can normally be obtained in the iced market