Doing Aquaculture As A Business For Small And Medium Scale Farmers

Complementing Module 1 on the technical dimension of commercial aquaculture, this training module looks at the economic aspects of aquaculture development and discusses sustainability and business planning. It provides guidance for small- and medium-scale fish farmers on assessing the economic and financial viability of their fish farms, including the technicalities of cost structure and cash flow analyses.

This first module on managing aquaculture as a business covers technical aspects such as primary productivity, carrying capacity, growth rate and yield in water, general classification criteria for aquaculture systems and the main features of pond- and cage-based fish farming systems. It will be complemented by a second module on the economic aspects.

It is within the culture of citizens of Caribbean Islands to consume seafood. It is this culture that has led to wide diversification of seafood types and dishes. Our roadside and community ‘Fish Fry’ events are a staple event for several Caribbean Islands for our locals. Whether it's flying fish and mahi mahi grilling at Oistens in Barbados, Gros Islet Friday Night Street Party in St. Lucia, Gouyave in Grenada, steam fish in Port Royal, Jamaica, curry crab, callaloo and dumplings in Store Bay, Tobago or Bake and Shark in Maracas Beach, Trinidad, these islands have seafood consumption embedded within their souls. This has now become a spatial and temporal landmark on several tourism guides, which indicate days and times these ‘Fish Fry’ events occur.

The Zambian Government, in collaboration with FAO, undertook the elaboration of this curriculum (part I) within the framework of the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (UTF/ZAM/077/ZAM). Furthermore, FAO complemented the practicality of this curriculum by drafting and refining the Training Manual (part II), which has been tested in many African countries and with different stakeholders. To ensure complementarity of opportunities and clear progression of education and capacity development, each actor involved in the sector should strive to network with teaching institutions, researchers and producers to guarantee that the curriculum remains relevant and stays abreast of developments for aquaculture practitioners; this will include developing national, regional and international linkages with institutions involved in aspects of training for aquaculture. Therefore, this curriculum will function as a living document.

This FAO publication on brine shrimp is a manual for all those who are using Artemia or have an interest in this organism, whether as a source of live food in the hatchery, as a model organism in research, or for other purpose. [Author] It is intended for those who wish to update their knowledge on its biology, production or its use, but also for those who want to learn about Artemia for the first time. [Author] A team of leading Artemia experts from around the globe with diverse backgrounds, expertise and working in research, education and/or the industry have jointly contributed to its writing. [Author] This manual presents in a concise form essential information on Artemia biology and the most important natural cyst resources that find their way to the aquaculture market. [Author] It also provides detailed information on general principles and practical procedures to produce Artemia in ponds and in tank systems. [Author] Finally, the manual offers a compilation of state-of-the-art guidelines and methodologies related to the use of this crucial live food organism in aquaculture. [Author] The illustrations, tables and practical worksheets will help the reader to implement the correct procedures in the production and use of Artemia. [Author] This publication is a must for anyone working with this unique organism. [Author]

The Expert Consultation on the Development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines was held in Rome, Italy from 17 to 20 June 2019 to come out with a proposal for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines to be presented in August 2019 at the tenth session of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI). The specific objectives of this Expert Consultation were to propose criteria for selecting case studies aimed at providing lessons learned for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines, and methodologies for documenting the case studies, for analysing the case studies to identify the lessons learned, and for developing the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines by also making use of existing guidelines. The consultation was attended by 15 experts, one resource person and FAO staff. The consultation was organized into both plenary and group discussions. The Experts agreed on a proposed methodology for identifying and selecting the lessons learned from strategies and experiences of aquaculture development worldwide; a methodology for documenting and analysing the lessons learned; a list of thematic modules; a gap analysis between existing guidelines and needs for new ones, and; an updated roadmap for the development of the Sustainable Aquaculture Guidelines.

A comprehensive source of information on all aspects of shrimp production, this reference covers not only the global status of shrimp farming, but also examines shrimp anatomy and physiology. From nutrition to health management and harvesting issues to biosecurity, this well-researched volume evaluates existing knowledge, proposes new concepts, and questions common practices. With an extensive review on worldwide production systems, this compilation will be highly relevant to research scientists, students, and shrimp producers.