Improving Feed Conversion Ratio And Its Impact On Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Aquaculture

The study (workshop presentations, proceedings, GHG tool and recommendations) was carried out to improve FCR and asses its impact on reducing GHG emissions in Aquaculture. Three major objectives of this study was to assess the current GHG contributions of aquaculture and ways to measure it, ii) explore the potential to continue reducing FCR in salmon farming and other species, and therefore improving their environmental performance including GHG and iii) explore potential transfer of feed and fe eding technologies and lessons learn from salmon farming to other freshwater species such as tilapia, carps and catfishes and marine shrimp. The findings of this study identified several factors that affect FCRs, particularly in species farmed in developing countries, which could be targeted with programs that ultimately would reduce GHG and other emissions. The study concluded that managing environmental aspects, simplifying farm management, and improving feed management, would improve FCRs and reduce GHG emissions.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Papers Based on three aquaculture systems (Nile tilapia in Bangladesh, Indian major carps in India and striped catfish in Viet Nam), this publication explains where and how greenhouse gas emissions arise in Asian aquaculture. It highlights the variations within each farming system at every stage, and makes suggestions for methods that could both develop cost-effective ways of improving aquaculture and reduce related emission intensities.

Global aquaculture makes an important contribution to food security directly (by increasing food availability and accessibility) and indirectly (as a driver of economic development). In order to enable sustainable expansion of aquaculture, we need to understand aquaculture’s contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and how it can be mitigated. This study quantifies the global GHG emissions from aquaculture (excluding farming of aquatic plants) and explains how cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) could be used to appraise GHG mitigation measures. Cost-effective mitigation of GHG from aquaculture can make a direct contribution to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action), while supporting food security (Goal 2: Zero Hunger), and economic development (Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth).

This report indicates that climate change will significantly affect the availability and trade of fish products, especially for those countries most dependent on the sector, and calls for effective adaptation and mitigation actions encompassing food production.

The 2018 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture emphasizes the sector’s role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and measurement of progress towards these goals. It notes the particular contributions of inland and small-scale fisheries, and highlights the importance of rights-based governance for equitable and inclusive development. As in past editions, the publication begins with a global analysis of trends in fisheries and aquaculture production, stocks, processing and use, trade and consumption, based on the latest official statistics, along with a review of the status of the world’s fishing fleets and human engagement and governance in the sector. Topics explored in Parts 2 to 4 include aquatic biodiversity; the ecosystem approach to fisheries and to aquaculture; climate change impacts and responses; the sector’s contribution to food security and human nutrition; and issues related to international trade, consumer protection and sustainable value chains. Global developments in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, selected ocean pollution concerns and FAO’s efforts to improve capture fishery data are also discussed. The issue concludes with the outlook for the sector, including projections to 2030. As always, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture aims to provide objective, reliable and up-to- date information to a wide audience, including policy-makers, managers, scientists, stakeholders and indeed all those interested in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

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.

Aquaculture, the youngest, fastest-growing, and most dynamic protein-producing industry, has the key advantage of efficient use of feed that allows farmed fish to be competitively priced compared with terrestrial proteins. Sustainable Aquafeeds: Technological Innovation and Novel Ingredients explores the present and future evolution of feeds, explains the current challenges for aquaculture, and considers how advances in technologies and ingredients can produce aquafoods for the increasing world population. International contributors to this book provide state-of-the-art information on the profile of the aquafeed industry, including factors affecting supplies and prices of key ingredients for aquafeed production. An entire set of chapters covers the scientific advances and feed industry initiatives in accordance with modern consumer trends, updating readers on the most promising strategies. These include the use of novel ingredients for nutrient supplementation and the enhancement of their use by genetic selection. The authors hope to inspire a collaboration of NGOs, researchers, and private partnerships to replace wild-caught ingredients by accelerating and supporting the scaling of innovative, alternative, aquaculture feed ingredients, including bacterial meals, plant-based proteins, algae, and yeast.

These Technical Guidelines on the Prudent and Responsible Use of Veterinary Medicines in Aquaculture (No. 5 Suppl. 8) are developed to support Section 9 – Aquaculture Development of FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and The FAO Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2016–2020. They also support the international aquatic animal health standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the food safety standards of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius and the One Health platform under the FAO/OIE/WHO Tripartite Collaboration on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Their objective is to assist countries in encouraging the prudent and responsible use of veterinary medicines (antimicrobials and other chemotherapeutants) in aquaculture production through appropriate government regulation and the promotion and encouragement of awareness and responsible use by the private sector. They emphasize, among the guiding principles, that responsible use of veterinary medicines in aquaculture requires collaboration among all stakeholders and a strong commitment to governance, awareness, best practices, surveillance and research, including monitoring of AMR, tracking of antimicrobial usage (AMU), assessing risk in different settings and evaluating strategies to reduce AMR and maintain efficacy of antimicrobials. They provide general guidance on the use of veterinary medicines in aquaculture to responsible government agencies, private-sector aquaculture producers and aquatic animal health professionals.