FAO Aquaculture Newsletter December 2005 - No. 34
Will there be enough fish?
The world population is on the rise, as is the demand for aquatic food products. Production from capture fisheries at the global level is levelling off and most of the main fishing areas have reached their maximum potential. Sustaining fish supplies from capture fisheries will, therefore, not be able to meet the growing global demand for aquatic food. At present, the aquaculture sector contributes a little over 40 million tonnes (excluding aquatic plants) to the world aquatic food production. According to recent predictions, in order to maintain the current level of per caput consumption at the minimum, the global aquaculture production should reach 80 million tonnes by 2050. Aquaculture has the great potential to meet this increasing demand for aquatic food in most regions of the world; however, in order to achieve this, the sector (and aqua-farmers) will undoubtedly face significant challenges. The major task ahead for sustainable aquaculture production would be to develop approaches that will increase the contribution of aquaculture, which are realistic and achievable, within the context of current social, economic, environmental and political circumstances.
A recent review conducted by FAO on the status and progress of aquaculture development in Asia, where over 90 percent of global aquaculture is produced, identified several major prospects. It is apparent that the aquaculture sector will continue to intensify and diversify, using new species, systems and practices, requiring responsible use of resources, in particular-the species. Markets, trade and consumption will influence the growth of the sector, factors which will strongly demand for production of safe and quality products, which are affordable, acceptable and accessible to all sectors of society. In achieving this, increased emphasis will be placed to enhance enforcement of regulation and better governance of the sector, focusing on empowerment of farmers and self-regulation. All of the above will have a combined effect that could result in the final overall trend of driving the sector towards improved or better management.
This analysis which reflects the scenario in Asia, may not apply directly to other regions where aquaculture is developing, especially Africa and Latin America. In Europe, although the share of global production is small, the sector management and governance is advanced.
The question now is - will there be enough fish to feed the masses by the year 2050? The FAO's current study on the prospective analysis of future aquaculture development may provide some answers!
See future issues of FAN for details.
Rohana P. Subasinghe
The designations employed and the
presentation of material in this information
product do not imply the expression of any
opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
concerning the legal or development status of any
country, territory, city or area or of its authorities,
or concerning the delimitation of its
frontiers or boundaries.
Cover Photo: Shrimp and fish traps commonly used for capturing wild fish
and shrimps in the Red River Delta, Viet Nam, providing additional income
to rural fish farmers (Photo Credit: Dave Little, IoA, University of Stirling,
|FIRI and FAO Member Governments undertake a Major Review of Aquaculture Development in preparation for COFI's Sub-Committee on Aquaculture - Session III|
|New Delhi, 4–8 September 2006|
|In preparation for the Third Session of COFI's Sub-Committee on Aquaculture (SCA) to be held in New Delhi, India from 4–8 September 2006, FAO's Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service (FIRI) conducted a number of workshops participated by more than 80 FAO member countries in Africa (20–22 September 2005, Mombasa, Kenya), Asia-Pacific (27–30 September 2005, Ramsar, Islamic Republic of Iran), Central and Eastern Europe (5–7 September 2005, Astrakhan, Russia Federation), Latin America and the Caribbean (4–6 September 2005, Panama City, Panama), and North Africa and Near East (24–25 November 2005, Cairo, Egypt; and 28 November 2005, in Muscat, Oman) to have a better understanding of the challenges currently faced by the sector, as well as progress, trends and prospects in individual countries, at regional and global levels with an overall view of identifying possible solutions to those challenges. The consultations, participated by selected aquaculture experts, used a workshop format which included plenary presentations on major issues affecting aquaculture development followed by working group discussions which tackled on the present and future status of aquaculture for each of the mentioned aquaculture regions. The seven regional reviews (including Western Europe and North America) will be synthesized into a single Global Aquaculture Development Status and Trends Review. Part of the synthesis will be done during the Global Aquaculture Workshop to be held in Guangzhou, China from 12–15 March 2006 (see page 13). The highlights of some of the regional reviews are provided in the following pages.|
|For more details about COFI's Sub-Committee on Aquaculture -Session III, please contact:|
|Rohana P. Subasinghe at FIRI|
Participants to the Expert Workshop, Mombasa, Kenya, 20–22 September 2005
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Regional Aquaculture Review
John Moehl, Matthias Halwart and Rohana P. Subasinghe
America and the Caribbean Regional Aquaculture Review
Doris Soto and José Aguilar-Manjarrez
Africa and Near East Regional Aquaculture Review
Alessandro Lovatelli and Sarah Poynton
Asia-Pacific Regional Aquaculture Review
Rohana P. Subasinghe
and Eastern Europe Regional Aquaculture Review
Anca Sfetcovici and Uwe Barg
Second Meeting of Directors of the Network of Aquaculture
Centers in Central and Eastern Europe (NACEE)
Anca Sfetcovici and Uwe Barg
The future of mariculture: A regional approach for responsible development of marine farming in the Asia-Pacific Region
Use of Feed and Fertilizer for Sustainable Aquaculture Development
Mohammad R. Hasan
Freshwater Seed as Global Resource for Aquaculture
Melba B. Reantaso
of Technical Guidelines for the Responsible Movement
of Live Aquatic Animals
Melba B. Reantaso
Regional Workshop on Low Value and “Trash Fish”in the Asia - Pacific Region
Aquaculture and Food
Security in the Africa Region:
the Dilemma of the Remote Rural Fish Farmer
Private/Public Partnerships with the Mining Industry in Ghana
Lionel Awity, Tim Buchanan, Randall E. Brummett, Chet Aeschliman, Mulonda Kalende and John Moehl
TCP/DRK/3001 - Addressing Food Security in DPR Korea through Marine Aquaculture
Alessandro Lovatelli and Kim Myong Hyoke
TCP/RAS/2908 - Poverty Alleviation through Improved Aquatic Resources Management in Asia-Pacific
Graham Haylor, Paul Bulcock and Simon Funge-Smith
TCP/BRA/0065 - Small-scale seaweed farming in North East Brazil
Amedeo Freddi and José Aguilar-Manjarrez
Evaluation of the National Fisheries Institute (INP) in Mexico
J. González de la Rocha and José Aguilar-Manjarrez
Eighth Annual Meeting of the SIPAM Network
Third Session of the Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI)
FAO World Food Day FAO Model Farmer 2005 from Vanuatu FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific Islands
Fisheries Department receives “Professor Kazimierz Demel Medal’ from Poland's Sea Fisheries Institute
FAO/NACA Publication appreciated in Guayaguil Jail
FAO New publications