How to Write an Aquaculture Business Plan

Aquaculture farming.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the aquaculture business is a sustainable source of food and is rapidly becoming a popular business to operate. Your aquaculture business will thrive if you plan your steps toward production and marketability. If you want to start your own aquaculture business, you will need to write a business plan. The Small Business Administration offers tutorials on business plan writing.

Things You'll Need

• Word processor
• Price quotes on equipment and supplies

Instructions

1. Describe your aquaculture business. Make a list of your company's vision, objectives and goals? Why will it exist? Where will it be located? Who will it serve? Who will be the key personnel and what will be their roles in the decision-making process?

2. Format your business plan with easy-to-read font type and size, such as Times New Roman, 12 point. Use one-inch margins and block-style paragraphs. Number your pages.

3. Create a company letterhead with contact information. Include a covering letter, focused on external audiences, with your business plan. The paragraphs should describe your answers to the questions in Step 1.

4. Include a Table of Contents for your reader to quickly find the information that is relevant to understand key components of the plan.

5. Include a description of business operations. For example, what type of aquaculture business is it, a hatchery, a marine farm, or another type?

6. Discuss your marketing plan. How will you find and keep customers? Describe your competition. Are there any gaps in service that your competition does not address? Who are the main customers of your competition? What products and services does the competition provide? What does the competition charge for these products and services?

7. Describe the equipment that you already have, and describe the equipment that you will need.

8. Discuss the financial aspects of the business. For example, will you take out loans for general operating expenses or materials and equipment? Generally, provide a three-year projection of these expenses and anticipated income that will be generated. Include anticipated profit projections. What products and services will you produce? What will you charge for these items?

9. Attach all supporting documents, such as equipment or land purchase quotes. Attach resumes of all key personnel or partners.

References

• The Small Business Administration
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations