Yes health testing is expensive and the government people that think nothing of making more and more testing required have never run their own business, let alone a fish farm. Even without the health testing that price is not that high if you consider the overhead as in utilities, buildings, labor, taxes etc. one must deal with when running a full-time hatchery or just about any business. When it becomes your living it's not as fun as tinkering like we do. I know a few full-time fish farmers and they all tell me it's not an easy living with lots of risk.
One fish farmer I know had to take another job just to stay in business. Granted he is in Michigan that has been hit very hard by the recession.
