BETHEL — Connect Clermont reporters gained exclusive access to the behind-the-scenes operations at Big Fish Farms in Bethel, Ohio.
Owner Renee Koerner has spent years farming American Paddlefish, using their eggs to produce sustainably sourced caviar she believes could eventually draw international attention to the region.
Koerner’s fish-farming journey started small, not far from the lakes where her fish now grow. She first began raising fingerlings inside a townhouse in Bellevue, Kentucky. Because young fish require relatively little space, the setup allowed her to grow without the high costs typical of the industry.
“I had always wanted to farm,” Koerner said. “But unless you inherit a farm, you have to be pretty wealthy to start farming.”
Faced with land and equipment costs that can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Koerner sought ways to reduce startup expenses. Over two years, she searched for lakes in both Ohio and Kentucky, aiming to raise fish by using existing water resources and contracted partnerships.
Big Fish Farm crew collecting American Paddlefish.
Big Fish Farms website
That search ultimately led her to Big Fish Farms in Bethel.
“When we found Big Fish Farms, we were enchanted,” Koerner said.
Instead of operating a single large fish farm, Big Fish Farms contracts with organizations managing large bodies of water, including drinking water reservoirs and park lakes. These partnerships allow paddlefish to grow in more natural environments.
According to Koerner, this approach sets the farm apart from many traditional caviar operations.
“When you see farmed caviar, most of the time people are raising sturgeon,” she explained. “They’re raising them in tanks, in big controlled environments, and they are feeding them a pellet, and they’re just swimming around in circles.”
At Big Fish Farms, the fish grow in larger lakes that provide a habitat Koerner describes as more sustainable and enriched.
The work requires patience. Paddlefish take about 11 years to reach sexual maturity, meaning each harvest represents more than a decade of careful management.
Caviar spread by Big Fish Farms.
Big Fish Farms Facebook
The farm currently relies on a small rotating fishing crew of about three people who travel to multiple lake sites to collect and transport fish.
Once harvested, the fish arrive at the farm’s FDA-approved processing room, where the team sterilizes both equipment and the fish. Koerner said she uses high-proof vodka during the sanitation process to eliminate bacteria and toxins.
Despite the year-round business of harvesting, selling, and marketing caviar, Koerner said most of the physical labor involved in fish farming happens during the winter months.
Looking ahead, she hopes the operation helps build a larger industry in the region.
Koerner expressed confidence that a foundation has been laid for future producers to establish the Midwest as a region known for high-quality, farm-raised, sustainable caviar.
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