Fish Farming Fastest Growing Field of Agriculture

Fish Farming Fastest Growing Field of Agriculture
News from the Future Harvest Website

Fish is a major food source for people throughout the world and the main source of protein for 1 billion people. For at least 150 million people, fish provide not only vital nutrition, but also a source of employment and income. Most of those who rely on fish for their livelihood are in developing countries. Aquaculture, the farming of fish, shellfish, seaweed, and other products, represents the fastest growing sector of global food production.

Between 1960 and 1996, global fish production for human consumption grew from 27 million to 91 million metric tons. The demand for fish will continue to rise with population growth, increasing incomes, and improved diets in developing countries. As the population continues to rise, so will demand for fish. Unfortunately, about 70 percent of the worlds major fish species and 11 of the 15 major fishing areas are in decline and need urgent management. The decline in the worlds fish stock results from overfishing, indiscriminate harvesting methods, and degradation of coastal and inland ecosystems.

One hope for meeting the rising demand for fish is aquaculture. Since 1984, the output of aquaculture has increased annually by 10 percent, whereas captured fish output has only increased 1.6 percent each year. Today, about one-fourth of the fish eaten by humans comes from aquaculture systems.

Aquaculture offers developing countries a means to earn foreign exchange through high-value species, such as pearls, prawns, and salmon, and a way for poor communities to maintain a healthy diet and earn an income. But if aquaculture projects are not carried out in an environmentally responsible way, they can cause water pollution, wetland loss, and mangrove swamp destruction.

Research has been one key to the successful growth of aquaculture. Scientists also are seeking to improve the production and management of all fisheries resources in a way that benefits users and promotes a healthy environment. Some examples include:

Breeding new fish species. Researchers have produced an improved strain of Nile tilapia, a hardy freshwater fish, that grows 60 percent faster than other farmed strains and yields three fish crops per year, instead of the usual two. Thanks to the new strain, fish farmers can expect higher productivity, higher profit, and higher yields.
Integrating crop and livestock farming with aquaculture. Through assistance from research organizations, farmers in Malawi and other African countries are introducing small ponds into their home gardens for irrigation and to grow fish. They are also using the mud from the bottom of the fishponds as rich, organic fertilizer for their farming.
Improving the livelihood of the rural poor. In Bangladesh, scientists are helping to turn numerous unused ponds and other water bodies into viable fish farms. Fish farming provides a new source of incomes for the rural poor, particularly women, who are usually responsible for the ponds. Using new systems developed through research, fish production in existing ponds has increased eightfold.

For more, see: www.futureharvest.com and www.cgiar.org/iclarm/