In 2013, USSEC shrimp production technology consultant Ken Corpron introduced the concept of Biofloc shrimp culture technology to China. The Biofloc shrimp culture technology uses biological control in water and generates the live microorganism to absorb the shrimp waste from the water.
In 2014, during a shrimp farming technical consulting service, Mr. Corpron provided details about Biofloc shrimp farming technology. The participants became very interested in this new method of shrimp production and asked for more information in order to try this new technology.
In October 2015, USSEC China’s aquaculture program organized an aqua study team to the U.S. and visited the RDM shrimp farm in Fowler, Indiana. Team members learned the operation’s techniques and RDM shared its experience. Two participants become “Biofloc pioneers” after returning to China and with technical help from USSEC, these pioneers finalized the operation procedure in the fall of 2015, doing a test run in the winter. Mr. Corpron came to China in March 2016 to visit three shrimp farms that had adopted and were very successful with the Bioflco shrimp culture technology, tripling their actual production.
Biofloc shrimp culture technology uses indoor facilities that provide quality water to the shrimp and increase production capacity significantly. Additionally, the indoor culture saves energy and allows winter shrimp production where traditional outdoor shrimp farming is not possible due to low water. The most important reason for USSEC to promote this technology is to increase the consumption of U.S. Soy as wintertime in China is the time when most U.S. Soy is acquired.