Photo credit: Karen Sachica Cepeda (Colombia)
Review: Karen Sachica Cepeda and Abdel Rahman El Gamal (Founder of the website)
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) presence in Colombia dates to the 1930s when it was first introduced to the country while first record of farmed trout should up in marginal quantity (3 tons) in 1971. Afterwards, the production of rainbow trout from Colombian aquaculture showed steadily increase in the beginning peaking to about 9,000 tons in 2000. Afterwards, trout aquaculture fluctuated for variety of reasons ending by about 6000 tons in 2014 (FAO).
The inserted picture shows a private race way trout farm which is located in the department of Santander; a north-central Colombian department in the Andes mountains. At this high altitude of 1005-1200 meters above sea level, water temperature ranges around 15 and 17 ºC suits well the culture of rainbow trout.
Most of trout production is sold locally, with a significant quantity that is exported. In spite of the high potential of trout farming in Colombia and the year-round fingerling supplies, the high cost of trout feed is a significant obstacle towards further expansion of trout farming in Colombia.
