Foreign competition has increased and may cause long-term damage to the industry. Also, in Arkansas, regulations require that alligators be shipped back to the state of origin for processing. If a species is not presently cultured, usually it means that there are technical problems in its culture or that it cannot be raised profitably. The vast majority of aquacultural crops are grown outdoors in earthen ponds. Pond culture is a known and proven technology.
Ponds naturally degrade many of the waste products that cause problems in intensive systems.
Arkansas has vast areas of land with soils suitable for fish ponds. Water generally is abundant, but supply is a concern in some areas. Proper pond construction and management can limit water use in fish culture to 15 to 24 inches per year after initially filling ponds. Additional culture systems include cages, raceways, and indoor systems. Cage culture operations are technically feasible, but production costs per pound of fish generally are higher than for the pond-raised product even though the initial investment is lower.