A the same time, the company has announced its yellow perch and aquaculture expert, Bill Manci, who is also president of FTA, Inc., a company he created in 1982 after receiving his formal training in zoology and fisheries science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and after a six-year career in aquaculture research.
Mr Manci has been a consultant since 1980 and has worked on many types of aquaculture and fish farming projects throughout the USA and other countries.
He also has published more than 300 technical and popular articles on the subjects of aquaculture and fish farming. He is a Certified Fisheries Professional, American Fisheries Society.
"The greatest difficulty for restaurants has been the availability of yellow perch out of Lake Michigan and Lake Erie -- the two predominant lakes for the supply of wild-caught yellow perch," said Bell Aquaculture President & COO Michael Miller during an interview on WTRC NewsRadio 1340/Elkhart.
"Which means the restaurants that were typically serving customers who enjoy the taste of yellow perch, just cannot get the supply."
Yellow perch is one of the most popular of all North American pan fish. It has a mild, sweet flavor with firm white flesh and low fat levels, making it a favorite in residential and commercial kitchens alike. In years past, yellow perch was the fish typically served at Friday night fish fries in the Great Lakes region.
Bell Aquaculture said it is committed to four guiding principles in producing its fish:
- Controlled environment
- No toxins
- Healthy growth
- Gentle to the environment