Integrated mariculture: its role in future aquaculture development

摘要

Looking at the present growth of aquaculture production, it seems feasible that the sector will be able to meet the future challenge and double its production within 30 years. Thus, the interesting question is not if this expansion will take place, but rather how it will be achieved and what the resulting environmental and socioeconomic consequences will be. Besides increased inland production from freshwater fish aquaculture, which is traditionally an integral part of agriculture production, a largepart of the expansion is also anticipated to take place along the coasts of both developing and developed countries (FAO, 2006). Fish will be the main farmed aquaculture species, but production of more extensive species like bivalves and seaweeds will increase. Coastal areas, especially in developing countries, already experience high pressure from e.g. urbanization and industrialization that has resulted in both terrestrial and marine ecosystem degradation. Potential impacts from any aquaculture development will mainly be determined by culture system characteristics (species, intensity, technology, etc.) and site characteristics (nature of the landscape and seascape, waste assimilating capacity, waste loadings, social structures, etc.). Generally, some aquaculture systems can be identified as being more sustainable as compared to others. However, in each case of aquaculture development, local constraints from environmental and socio-economic perspectives need to be considered. Under some circumstances, more "environmentally friendly" species may fail to meet some important aspects of sustainability.