Aquaculture intensification and expansion require substantial funding and investment (see the section Aquaculture investments for Blue Transformation). The transformation of aquaculture in Asia can be clustered into nine priority themes (see table). Finally, it is essential to improve aquaculture management, fostering expansion and sustainable growth, while preventing harmful impacts (Curtis et al., forthcoming) and enhancing aquacultures contribution to achieving the SDG targets. With commitment and accountability on all sides, difficulties can be surmounted, success can be achieved and development can be accomplished in any sector. Nature supports humanity through the delivery of ecosystem services, such as the provision of food and raw materials, the maintenance of clean air and water, and the creation of spiritual and cultural connections that foster well-being. The significant contribution of small- and medium-scale producers to sustainable growth of aquaculture production must increase further if the sector is to enhance its relative contribution to achieving the SDGs; small- and medium-scale producers should be encouraged and enabled to intensify and expand production. Likewise, the Shanghai Declaration emphasizes the key role of aquaculture, reflecting the outcomes of the Global Conference on Aquaculture (GCA, 2021) organized by FAO, the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Fed aquaculture has continued to contribute a large and increasing share of the sectors output, highlighting feeds crucial role in the industry (see the section Aquaculture production). Bivalve mollusc aquaculture is certainly important in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania. For example, in Indonesia, macroalgal farms have become common stops on ecotours (Long and Wall 1996). Furthermore, progress has been made in the usage of fisheries and aquaculture by-products to produce fishmeal as well as in the use of agricultural protein sources to replace fishmeal and fish oil extracted from wild pelagic resources. For example, in Kenya, 36 groups across the country were targeted and 80 groups eventually formed (with approximately 2 000 direct beneficiaries). IMTA as a system for bioremediation at sea offers a potential solution to address the concerns of marine fed aquaculture releasing organic and inorganic wastes into the environment. The relative and unique differences between mariculture and natural systems must always be recognized and valued. Filter-feeding organisms particularly but also grazing animals and algae cycle and take up nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphate, carbon) and can remove these elements, organic matter, and other particulates from the water. However, the lack of market mechanisms to guide public investments hinders their efficiency and effectiveness. 2017). Fisheries and aquaculture provide food for billions of people around the world, and play an important role in the local economy of coastal communities in many countries. Inequalities in seafood value chains are, however, not always biased against women, and in a number of countries, women's participation in aquaculture activities is higher than in capture fisheries (see Kruijssen et al. Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus, are members of the jack (family Carangidae) and are highly prized by both commercial and recreational anglers.Also commonly referred to as pompano, Atlantic pompano, pompaneau sole (French), and pompano amarillo (Spanish), this species is a deep, thin-bodied marine finfish that is predominately silver in color with green to gray dorsal . For Blue Transformation of aquatic food systems, finance and insurance services are needed at local, national, regional and global scales. The hard substrate provided by mariculture that enhances habitat for wild species might provide stepping stones that enable fouling organisms to migrate across sedimentary landscapes in a changing climate (e.g., Bishop et al. Some infrastructures, particularly in markets and hatcheries, have ceased to function over time, remained idle or never operated at all, unable to meet the specific needs of sustainable aquaculture development. Individual mariculture operators may be able to provide farmgate experiences to interact with their business, and regional hubs or collectives of tourism or education-oriented activities can showcase operations across the value chain (e.g., farming, harvesting, processing, marketing, transport, and sales). Moving the ecosystem service concept from theory into practice is now crucial. Stakeholder partnerships, such as FAOFDC, have the power to entice expertise and resources from both sides to build on challenges and turn them into opportunities for national and local economies. Integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) production systems, where two or more aquaculture and agricultural activities take place concurrently or sequentially, have existed for centuries in East Asia and since the 1960s in Latin America and Africa, albeit on a smaller scale. The practice originated in China about 4,000 years ago, and global production continues to be dominated by China and other Asian countries. Reis and Hibbeln (2006) highlight cultural labeling of fish as symbols of emotional well-being and social healing in religious and medical practices among independent cultures for at least six millennia. The Impact of Marine Aquaculture on the Environment; the Importance of The PMP/AB is intended to be flexible, adaptable and inclusive to account for the diverse and complex nature of the aquaculture sector. Aquaculture governance instruments are often piecemeal constructs adapted from different departments such as fisheries, agriculture, water, forestry, environment, trade or marine affairs. There may also be opportunities to align the valuation of ecosystem services from mariculture with global goals and policies that are intended to support smart, equitable, and well-informed development, such as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, which provide a blueprint for human prosperity and environmental sustainability, or the European Commission's Blue Growth strategy. Godfray HCJ, Beddington JR, Crute IR, Haddad L, Lawrence D, Muir JF, Pretty J, Robinson S, Thomas SM, Toulmin C. Golden CD, Allison EH, Cheung WWL, Dey MM, Halpern BS, McCauley DJ, Smith MD, Vaitla B, Zeller D, Myers SS. Aquaculture - Beachapedia Mariculture - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics In light of this growing demand for seafood, aquaculture and culture based fisheries have played an important role in household livelihoods. These areas were considered an everyday part of the local ecosystems and human activity and continue to be an important source of cultural significance. 2016). 2015). Furthermore, the increasing role of technology in offshore cages reduces the labour requirements per tonne of production compared with coastal or nearshore aquaculture. South Australian Government and the University of Adelaide, Australia. Assessing Environmental Impact. 2016), the provision of seafood can support nutritionally vulnerable communities (Belton et al. Research shows that when a quality feed is carefully managed in a well-designed system, nutrient discharges are reduced by as much as 50% (Miller, 2002). Ring I, Hansjrgens B, Elmqvist T, Wittmer H, Sukhdev P. Thurstan RH, Brittain Z, Jones DS, Cameron E, Dearnaley J, Bellgrove A. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. Marine aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals. A desk review conducted in 2021 on the enabling environment for aquaculture development, particularly on aspects relevant to capacity development, extension and research, indicates that: (i) human and institutional capacities, critical technical skills (at the farmer and the extension/trainer level) and financial resources need to be significantly improved; (ii) extension education is required to transfer technical information to farming communities and to cover the needs of operators; (iii) low levels of digitalization persist with less than 50 percent of educators having competencies in ICT literacy; (iv) many institutions are unable to support extension services through ICT; (v) smallholder farms still have limited Internet accessibility; and (vi) aquaculture has expanded without sufficient knowledge based on scientific information derived from research. clam farming in Djibouti, mussel farming in Morocco) and on product diversification and the expansion of local consumption (e.g. However, the sustainability of the sector is at stake due to the predicted effects of climate change that are not only a future but also a present reality. Poor practices with salmon farming in in 1980s and 1990s and the ongoing destruction of mangroves to create shrimp . Marine sponges and corals can be rich in bioactive compounds and may be able to be successfully cultured to assist discovery and development and to provide a sustainable source for production (Munro et al. 2004). Under certain circumstances, mariculture may return similar benefits. 2018). Based on the specific characteristics of AqGR identified by the global assessment, the GPA identifies four priority areas (see figure). A range of taxa, including mollusks, sponges, corals and algae, can be cultivated to produce medicinal resources for use in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. re-introduction of traditional agricultural farming systems at a small- and medium-scale enterprise level, with fish farming as the core activity; application and adoption of integrated fish farming with emphasis on efficient utilization of available resources, recycling waste and saving energy, while maintaining ecological balance; and. The status of Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus , as a Aquaculture serves different purposes, including food production, restoration of threatened and endangered species populations, wild stock population enhancement, the building of aquariums, and fish cultures and habitat restoration. The four stages of the PMP/AB enable each country and/or aquaculture sector to assess risk and priorities for their industry; countries can decide how far and how fast it is appropriate to progress. Aquaculture - Wikipedia Likewise, licensing systems need to be efficient and transparent, and aquaculture must be factored into resource use and development plans. Many innovations currently target only high-value species, but to ensure equity and that no one is left behind, innovations must also target low-trophic and lower-priced aquatic species. This in turn decreases the employment opportunities for unskilled or semi-skilled workers. To help identify problems and design research solutions, scientists should use field and traditional knowledge from farmers and communities, who in exchange would benefit from the results and improved technology through the extension process. The FAOFDC partnership promoted improved practices to enhance food production and nutritional security, while empowering women and youth. The perspective is global. Aquaculture has a long socioecological history. Contemporary approaches for small-scale oyster reef restoration to address substrate versus recruitment limitation: A review and comments relevant for the Olympia oyster, Making a case for community-based oyster restoration: An example from Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA, State of the art and challenges for offshore integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), Integrating Water Quality and Coastal Resources into Marine Spatial Planning in the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake Coastal Service, Sustainable ecological aquaculture systems: The need for a new social contract for aquaculture development, The role of marine aquaculture facilities as habitats and ecosystems, Changes in the global value of ecosystem services, Marine urbanization: An ecological framework for designing multifunctional artificial structures, A comparative evaluation of the habitat value of shellfish aquaculture gear, submerged aquatic vegetation, and a non-vegetated seabed, Coastal salmon farms attract large and persistent aggregations of wild fish: An ecosystem effect, Valuing ecosystem services: Oysters, denitrification, and nutrient trading programs, Aquaculture production and biodiversity conservation. Photographs: Russell Ord. Only with adequate investment in the aquaculture value chain can the sectors potential be unlocked (Aquatic Network, 2021), especially in less aquaculture-developed regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Southern Asia. Stakeholder engagement (including with small-scale producers) supports the principle of collaboration. Innovative policies and management approaches in which the ecosystem services provided by mariculture are valued and monetized and their delivery incentivized present an opportunity to build numerous and influential positive environmental impacts. Indeed, aquaculture in remote areas without access to markets, roads and public transportation, lacking communication network, electricity, potable water, sanitation and healthcare cannot succeed. At the same time, it is important to avoid conflict over resources, as communities/jurisdictions with more access to infrastructures may also become prone to various interest groups, especially those with better access to capital, potentially resulting in issues regarding distribution of costs and benefits. National aquaculture extension programmes should continue promoting proven aquaculture models and production technologies. Mariculture is the farming of marine organisms for food and other products such as pharmaceuticals, food additives, jewelry (e.g., cultured pearls), nutraceuticals, and cosmetics, either in the natural marine environment, or in land- or sea-based enclosures, such as cages, ponds, or raceways. Find out all about seafood farming, and the crucial role of responsible aquaculture in feeding a growing global population. 2017). Aquaculture extension information is dynamic and should evolve and generate changes in farmer behaviour to enhance sustainable production. Marine aquaculture is widely proposed as compatible with ocean sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and human nutrition goals. 2013, Brugre et al. For instance, Australian Aboriginal peoples used temperate seaweed species for a wide range of purposes, a spiritual and physical connection that could be aligned with mariculture development for the benefit of traditional custodians (Thurstan et al. Heidi K. Alleway (heidi.alleway@adelaide.edu.au) is affiliated with the South Australian Government and the University of Adelaide, Australia, and Melanie J. Bishop is with Macquarie University, in Sydney, also in Australia. FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - National Aquaculture Sector Overview Nevertheless, the development of molluscan aquaculture at the global level is slow, in part due to the strict sanitary requirements to access international markets, requiring monitoring of harvesting waters and attainment of product safety standards. Further research and technology development on bivalve culture presents a new frontier to support sustainable aquaculture expansion worldwide, with particular attention to the prevention of harmful algal blooms and their impacts on fisheries, aquaculture and food safety. The production of widely used natural products, such as agar or carrageenan from algae (Nayar and Bott 2014) or bivalve shell, is another provisioning service achieved by mariculture. To support sustainable development during a period of industrialization, managers have focused primarily on interventions to address negative environmental impacts, such as reducing reliance on lower trophic level fisheries or nutrient inputs by manufacturing feed (Naylor et al. However, advancements in this area of research differ by ecosystem type, and marine systems lag . As the world's population continues to grow, the way in which ocean industries interact with ecosystems will be key to supporting the longevity of food and social securities. The consumption of fish has increased owing to an increase in population, the effects of climate change and changing fishing technologies. Partnerships can be valuable tools for delivering projects and introducing good practices during crises. Asian aquaculture must rise to the challenges of feeding growing populations against a backdrop of natural resource constraints and biodiversity loss. Extending regulatory mechanisms to incorporate spatial planning of the ecosystem services provided by mariculture would provide an effective opportunity to drive ecologically sustainable development. In recent decades, IGOs, international financial agencies, civil societies and the various regional aquaculture networks of Asia-Pacific, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, the Americas, and in small island developing States, have made strides to incorporate and adapt aquaculture capacity-building programmes (FAO Committee on Fisheries, 2015; Ahonen and Pirhonen, 2018). Using the typology established by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Initiative, we describe how marine aquaculture could be influential in supporting ecosystem services beyond solely the production of goods, through provisioning services, regulating services, habitat or supporting services, and cultural services. In addition, other live products, such as ornamental invertebrates and fish for the aquarium trade, can be produced (Tlutsy 2002), and raw materials from shellfish and algal mariculture have a wide range of current and potential applications (e.g., substrate for restoration, pharmaceuticals, texturizing agents, agar, and biofuel). In terrestrial environments, there is growing recognition that modified, as well as natural, landscapes can provide ecosystem services that extend beyond the provision of food and raw materials (Power 2010). The role of ecosystems in supporting gender equity is not typically considered an ecosystem service. It is intended as a live document to be adapted by countries to meet their specific needs and priorities. titled land, often indicating the need for legal reforms) and government loan guarantees. Habitat or supporting services include the provision of habitat for species and the maintenance of genetic diversity. However, offshore culture of non-fed aquaculture species in nutrient-rich waters, such as seaweeds and bivalves, could be more inclusive of medium- and small-scale operators, because no outlay is required for feed and farming structures are less expensive. It is an environmental source of food and commercial product which help to improve healthier habitats and used to reconstruct population of endangered aquatic species. The intensification of aquaculture and the globalization of trade in aquatic products have led to the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases representing a significant economic and environmental challenge to society. That reputation is not entirely unearned. While these novel alternative ingredients introduce their own challenges to feed supply chains, the future sustainability of the fed aquaculture sector nevertheless remains intimately dependent on the sourcing of new and nutritionally balanced feed components that lessen these impacts. Off-farm access to aquaculture technologies using ICT (e.g. With the development of digital technology, FAO is establishing a regional technology platform for aquaculture. Spatial planning and farm siting that is intentionally oriented toward successive scales of ecosystem service delivery could assist in identifying locations in which mariculture could have the greatest positive effect (see box 3). Buck BH, Troell MF, Krause G, Angel DL, Grote B, Chopin T. Costanza R, de Groot R, Sutton P, van der Ploeg S, Anderson SJ, Kubiszewski I, Farber S, Turner RK. Policymakers must consider how to develop strong legal and institutional frameworks that recognize aquaculture as a distinct economic sector. 2017). Partnerships are essential in Blue Transformation capacity-building efforts. Unfortunately, the wild stocks have been overexploited in many locations and aquaculture is considered key to reduce the pressure on wild stocks and secure the livelihoods of women and coastal communities. Furthermore, access to lucrative international and domestic markets has also motivated an increasing number of farmers to comply with market access requirements and standards, including implementation of aquaculture certification schemes (Curtis et al., forthcoming). What is aquaculture? - NOAA's National Ocean Service