Focus on . . .
Filling the gap with aquaculture.
Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing sectors of food production, although the practice is by no means new. There are documents to prove that the Chinese were skilful in freshwater pond fish culture in 460 BC and China continues today to have one of the most productive freshwater production systems in the world. According to figures just published by FAO, China now accounts for 67% of the global farmed harvest, some 23.13 million tonnes, if its seaweed harvest is also included.
Marine fisheries, although still accounting for 90% of total catch, are in decline and fish stocks in many formerly productive fishing grounds are severely depleted. Aquaculture is increasingly filling the gap and, if well managed, has many advantages over wild capture fishing and other livestock production.
Hailed as the key to providing the under-nourished with more protein, fish farming has also not been without its critics. Our focus on aquaculture is on the less intensive systems, particularly those that can be integrated with other farming enterprises. We do not pretend to have covered a fraction of what could be said about the subject but we hope that you find the topics included of interest. It will be obvious to our regular readers that high investment, intensive, commercial and export agri- or aqua-business is beyond the scope of New Agriculturist. Such interests have their own specialist press. Nevertheless, if you would like to comment on our articles, we would be pleased to hear from you. Please reply by means of the e-mail section.
Rice-fish culture: supporting the rural poor
The aquatic phase of rice production creates a highly productive biological system that generates and sustains a wide range of plants and animals. And, to many rice farming communities in Asia, wild fish . . .
Massive engineering works block some of the world's most powerful river systems to transform water energy into electricity. Industry uses water to cool manufacturing processes, and returns it to the river from which it was extracted . . .
Crayfish are farmed from northern Scandinavia to Australia, and in the Americas, in Asia (notably China) and in Africa. Unlike most aquaculture species the female crayfish incubates her eggs, conveniently . . .
Small boys and grown men, and even a few women, enjoy fishing. One little boy in Kenya enjoyed it so much that when he grew up . . .
An insatiable demand for shrimp
Shrimp culture is increasing faster than any other warm-water aquaculture sector with shrimp farmers in South and Central America and the USA setting new production records last year (15% increase). And yet . . .
Integrating aquaculture - more to fish farming than fish
The greatest variety and development of agro-pisciculture farming systems are found in China but the integration of aquaculture with agriculture is common in different forms across the Asian continent. These small-scale traditional systems promote . . .
Small scale farmers have often been encouraged by national fisheries programmes or NGOs to take up simple pond fish culture. Such projects are intended to provide an additional source of food or income to the farm household. However . . .
Fish are as susceptible to disease as any other farmed crop, whether animal or vegetable. Commercial operators are well trained to spot early signs of trouble and take the necessary steps, but for owners of small ponds . . .
Coastal maritime fisheries have come under severe pressure from over-exploitation of their aquatic resources. In many parts of the world, efforts are being made to establish farmed stocks of the threatened species. The intention . . .
