ST. PAUL and DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota faces an estimated annual shortage of about 10,000 gallons, or 80,000 pounds, of Golden Shiner, a popular baitfish. Imports of live baitfish are prohibited because they can introduce aquatic invasive species, fish diseases, parasites or other pathogens.
To help address the shortage, the Minnesota Sea Grant program and its partners published a guide to help current and prospective fish farmers evaluate how Golden Shiner baitfish production could enhance their operations and increase in-state production.
A Guide for Increasing Production of Golden Shiner for Use as Bait in Minnesota summarizes results from a three-year demonstration project conducted from 2022 through 2024. Project partners included baitfish producers, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Central Lakes College in Brainerd.
“Currently the supply of baitfish is not keeping up with angler demand,” said Minnesota Sea Grant Fisheries Specialist Don Schreiner. “The guide is intended for aquaculture producers, state agencies, legislators and others interested in increasing production of Golden Shiner for bait in Minnesota.”
Golden Shiner are a popular baitfish in Minnesota, particularly for Walleye and Northern Pike anglers. Minnesota’s recreational fishing industry generates about $6 billion annually, and about 70% of Minnesota anglers use baitfish.
Results showed that several aquaculture approaches can produce market-sized Golden Shiner in Minnesota while also identifying practical challenges and questions producers should consider before expanding production.
“This work was a demonstration rather than a controlled comparison,” said Schreiner. “It was not designed to identify the most profitable or efficient system, maximize production or recommend one preferred strategy.”
Project partners used Golden Shiner fry, which are newly hatched young fish, for two stocking methods. Feed-trained fry were stocked after they had absorbed their yolk sacs and transitioned to dry commercial feed in the hatchery. Sac fry were stocked while they still retained much of the yolk sac that provides nourishment before they begin feeding on natural food or a mix of natural and commercial food.
The project evaluated four production strategies:
- An indoor recirculating aquaculture system, or RAS, stocked with feed-trained fry
- An aquaponics system, which integrates fish and plant production, stocked with feed-trained fry
- Outdoor ponds and pond-side tanks stocked with sac fry
- Outdoor ponds and pond-side tanks stocked with feed-trained fry
All four strategies produced some market-sized fish, although growing periods, operational methods and results varied. In the indoor RAS, most fish reached market size within six to seven months. Aquaponics trials also produced market-sized fish, with nearly all fish reaching market size within nine months. Outdoor pond systems produced market-sized fish in about five to six months under some conditions.
Topics covered include information about system design, stocking rates, feeding regimes, water quality, fish growth, survival, production and lessons learned from each strategy. It can help producers develop facility plans, enterprise budgets and business plans and identify questions to consider before starting or expanding an operation.
Continuing needs include reliable sources of fry, research on stocking densities and early-life-stage feeds, commercial-scale enterprise budgets, improved harvest methods and greater access to suitable production ponds and RAS facilities.
Major recommendations to producers include starting small, identifying reliable markets, tracking costs and results, and expanding as experience and market demand dictate.
“Our hope is that the baitfish industry and state agencies can use this guide, along with the 2025 Minnesota State Aquaculture Plan, to identify what is needed to expand commercial baitfish production in Minnesota,” said Minnesota Sea Grant Associate Director, Extension Program Leader and Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator Amy Schrank.
An in-person workshop to discuss results of the Golden Shiner demonstration project and the guide is tentatively planned for late winter or early spring 2027.
People interested in attending the workshop are encouraged to complete the contact information form to receive updates.
Find this and past Minnesota Sea Grant news releases on our website.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Minnesota Sea Grant is a system program of the University of Minnesota and one of 34 federal-university Sea Grant partnerships across the country supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Great Lakes and coastal states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, outreach, communication, education and technology transfer.
The project was funded by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. The National Sea Grant Office provided additional funding.
Image credit: Minnesota Sea Grant.
CONTACT
Don Schreiner, Fisheries Specialist, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Amy Schrank, Associate Director, Extension Program Leader and Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].
Marie Thoms, Associate Director, Communications Director, Minnesota Sea Grant, University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota Duluth, [email protected].