Exploring Environmental Exploring Environmental Sustainability through Sustainability through

AQUACULTUREAQUACULTURE

Dr. Julia Rankin Morandi Dr. Julia Rankin Morandi The Science Collaborative, Inc.The Science Collaborative, Inc.

What is Aquaculture?What is Aquaculture?The reproduction and culture of aquatic organisms in a controlled or semi-controlled environment.

How Old is Aquaculture?How Old is Aquaculture?

• Aquaculture began some 4000 years Aquaculture began some 4000 years agoago

• Artificial hatching first practiced in Artificial hatching first practiced in China in 2000 BC.China in 2000 BC.

• Began in the US in the 1850’s with Began in the US in the 1850’s with oysters and troutoysters and trout

Aquaculture Aquaculture SystemsSystems

• PondsPonds

• CagesCages

• RacewaysRaceways

• Re-circulating systemsRe-circulating systems

Production by Production by MethodMethod

Fresh Water Fresh Water PondsPonds

Tilapia

Nile Tilapia

Red Tilapia

Indoors in the U. S.

Outdoors in Ecuador and

Indonesia

RacewayRacewayss

Rainbow Trout Raceways

CagesCages

Atlantic Salmon Cages

Recirculating Recirculating SystemsSystems

Aquaponics Plants and Fish

Together

Aquaponics• Aquaponics uses no chemicals, requires one tenth of the water needed for field plant production and only a fraction of the water that is used for fish culture. (Aquaculture)

• This is truly a remarkable system, because it works so well. The fish actually supply nutrients to a bed of plants and plants clean up the water that the fish live in, making a mutually beneficial environment for both. The only external input to the system is food for the fish.

Sweet Water Organics, Inc.

Milwaukee, WI• Fish and Vegetable farm

• Local community (agrarians, artists, engineers, mechanics, educators, construction workers) transformed dilapidated industrial building into aquaponics demonstration project• Able to raise 50,000-100,000 tilapia, perch & potted plants

• Self-sustaining means of organic food production and commercial income

• Encourages community entrepreneurship, innovation, self-reliance, education, charity, sustainability and healthy, frugal living.

Sweet Water Organics

Sweet Water Organics

Why Aquaculture?Why Aquaculture?

- At current human population growth, an extra 35 million MT of food fish will be needed by 2030 just to maintain the current level of consumption.

The Demand for Fish is IncreasingThe Demand for Fish is Increasing

Build bigger, faster Build bigger, faster boats with longer boats with longer rangesranges

•Developed new technologies to locate and aggregate the fish - GPS

•It is estimated that the “catching capacity” of the fleet has increased 4-8 X faster than actual catch rates.

What We Have Done?

With leveling of capture fisheries and With leveling of capture fisheries and increased human population growth, increased human population growth,

aquaculture is one way to help meet an aquaculture is one way to help meet an increasing demand for seafood.increasing demand for seafood.

Growth of Growth of AquacultureAquaculture

• 1950’s = 1 MMT1950’s = 1 MMT

• 2004 = 59.4 MMT: 2004 = 59.4 MMT: – Valued at $70.3 billion USDValued at $70.3 billion USD

Aquaculture Production: Developed vs Developing

countries

China’s and Asia’s China’s and Asia’s ContributionContribution

U. S. Balance of edible seafood trade in 2007

U. S. edible seafood exports in 2007:

value = 4.0 billion dollars

U. S. edible seafood imports in 2007:

value = 13.7 billion dollars

U. S. trade deficit in edible seafood = 9.7 billion dollars

Over 2,025,580 MT of farmed tilapia were harvest world-wide in 2005.

China = 43% of world harvest

U. S. tilapia Production 2005: 13,803 MT

135,000 metric tons of whole and filleted tilapia was imported into the U. S. in 2005

• World aquaculture production in World aquaculture production in 2007 was valued at over $89 billion. 2007 was valued at over $89 billion.

• Globally, nearly half (47%) of all food Globally, nearly half (47%) of all food fish consumed by humans comes fish consumed by humans comes from aquaculture.from aquaculture.

• US domestic aquaculture production is US domestic aquaculture production is valued at ~$1 billion.valued at ~$1 billion.

• The federal government has plans to The federal government has plans to double national aquaculture production by double national aquaculture production by 2025 2025

• However, government regulations have However, government regulations have slowed this downslowed this down

Aquaculture in the United States

• California has the largest ocean California has the largest ocean economy in the nation, a coast-line economy in the nation, a coast-line winding over 3000 miles, and diverse winding over 3000 miles, and diverse inland areas suitable for aquacultureinland areas suitable for aquaculture

Aquaculture in California

• California grows over 30 species of California grows over 30 species of aquatic plants and animals valued at aquatic plants and animals valued at ~ $80M ~ $80M

• In California there are ~ 190 In California there are ~ 190 aquaculture facilities, ~1/3 of these aquaculture facilities, ~1/3 of these have sales of over $25,000. There has have sales of over $25,000. There has been relatively little expansion of the been relatively little expansion of the industry over the past decade industry over the past decade

• From 1990 - 2000, California’s living From 1990 - 2000, California’s living resources sector of the coastal economy resources sector of the coastal economy lost 11% of its wages, 20% of its workforce lost 11% of its wages, 20% of its workforce and 28% of its gross sales product.and 28% of its gross sales product.

• Aquaculture can revitalize coastal and Aquaculture can revitalize coastal and inland communities through economic inland communities through economic development.development.

• Aquaculture can help restore and maintain Aquaculture can help restore and maintain aquatic communities through providing aquatic communities through providing “ecosystem services”.“ecosystem services”.

Hubbs Sea World Research Institute Hubbs Sea World Research Institute HSW-RIHSW-RI

"We are currently importing over 80 "We are currently importing over 80 percent of our seafood," said Don percent of our seafood," said Don Kent, the institute's president and a Kent, the institute's president and a marine biologist. "There's no reason marine biologist. "There's no reason why the U.S. shouldn't be employing why the U.S. shouldn't be employing our own people to make our own our own people to make our own food." food."

Yellow Tail & Sea Yellow Tail & Sea BassBass

The goal is to produce as much as 6 million pounds of fish annually, three times the amount of seafood currently brought to the docks by commercial fishermen in San Diego County

““With Earth’s burgeoning human With Earth’s burgeoning human populations to feed we must turn to populations to feed we must turn to the sea with new understanding and the sea with new understanding and new technology. We must farm it as new technology. We must farm it as we farm the land.”we farm the land.”

Jacques Cousteau 1973Jacques Cousteau 1973