At the beginning of October 97 a group of private investors financed the execution of a feasibility study, concerning commercial raising of fish in the Dominican Republic.

The possibilities of raising fish, especially in the Dominican Republic are possible within a great variety of species, as the island holds a big variety of climatic zones. These climatic properties are reaching from tropical rain forest to cool mountain ranges up to 10000 ft. high. Therefore nearly every species of fish can be considered according to market demand.

At the beginning of the studies, investigations were carried out with regard to species of fish easily accepted by the market. Therefore a preliminary election leaded to the Rainbow Trout (salmo gardnerii) as a cold water fish and the Channel and Blue Catfish (ictalurus furcatus and ictalurus punctatus) as species for raising in warm water. As a consequence of a pre-evaluation of consumer customs, fish like Tilapia and other species of carps were ruled out.

During execution of the studies, raising of salmonides was excluded. As far as technical conditions and the climatic and topographic environment in the Cordillera Central were concerned, the project resulted feasible, but vulnerability of the project due to anthropogenic influences was considered as too high and dangerous. Total loss of fish population was within the possibilities as a consequence of pollution with organo chlorates and organo phosphorates. Following the recommendation of the consulting engineers, only breeding and raising of warm water fish should be considered, as the influence of induced vulnerability can be excluded easier in this area.