Modern Aquaculture In The Coastal Zone

The successful development of coastal aquaculture in the opening years of the new millennium will depend upon solution of a multiplicity of economic, sociological, engineering, scientific and environmental issues. The objective of this volume is to update the current status of research in aquaculture in the coastal zone and outline directions for the development of sustainable aquaculture using modern methodologies. It also discusses the application of existing knowledge and the creation of new knowledge to ensure that aquaculture will develop at a sufficient pace to sustain and enhance the availability of high quality foods of aquatic origin in the human diet despite the global decline in the capture fishery.

This book provides a scientific forecast of development in aquaculture with a focus on the environmental, technological, social and economic constraints that need to be resolved to ensure sustainable development of the industry and allow the industry to be able to feed healthy seafood products to future generations. The chapters discuss the most critical bottlenecks of the development. They encompass subjects of understanding the environmental impacts, the current state-of-the-art in monitoring programs and in coastal zone management, the important interactions between wild and cultured organisms including release of non-native species into the wild.

This book has nine chapters on Aquaculture Wetland Ecosystem Services Approach and Climate Change Adaptation, which explain how different aquaculture systems could maximize the benefits that society receives from both aquaculture production and the ecosystem services provided by wetland ecosystems. Sustainable development of aquaculture must take into account the societal value of ecosystem services for an efficient and environmentally sound production of food. Although some issues regarding the potential benefits and implementation of sustainable aquaculture remain, the consideration of food security and minimizing ecosystem impacts suggest that the time has come to take action. If we can efficiently farm the land, why can't we farm more the sea and inland waters?

This document is directed to aquaculture development specialists, coastal resource use planners and government officials involved and interested in the planning and management of coastal aquaculture development within the wider context of resource use in coastal areas. It is intended to serve in the promotion of environmental management of coastal aquaculture. Guidelines are given for improved environmental management of coastal aquaculture based on an overview of selected published experiences and concepts. Potential adverse environmental effects of and on coastal aquaculture practices are addressed with consideration of main socio-economic and bio-physical factors. Methodologies are presented for the assessment and monitoring of environmental hazards and impacts of coastal aquaculture. Selected environmental management options are described for application both at policy-level and farm-level.

This document is directed to aquaculture development specialists, coastal resource use planners and government officials involved and interested in the planning and management of coastal aquaculture development within the wider context of resource use in coastal areas. It is intended to serve in the promotion of environmental management of coastal aquaculture. Guidelines are given for improved environmental management of coastal aquaculture based on an overview of selected published experiences and concepts. Potential adverse environmental effects of and on coastal aquaculture practices are addressed with consideration of main socio-economic and bio-physical factors. Methodologies are presented for the assessment and monitoring of environmental hazards and impacts of coastal aquaculture. Selected environmental management options are described for application both at policy-level and farm-level.

Keith Culver and David Castle Introduction Aquaculture is at the leading edge of a surprisingly polarized debate about the way we produce our food. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, aquaculture production has increased 8. 8% per year since 1970, far surpassing productivity gains in terrestrial meat production at 2. 8% in the same period (FAO 2007). Like the ‘green revolution’ before it, the ‘blue revolution’ in aquaculture promises rapidly increased productivity through technology-driven - tensi?cation of aquaculture animal and plant production (Costa-Pierce 2002; The Economist 2003). Proponents of further aquaculture development emphasize aq- culture’s ancient origins and potential to contribute to global food security d- ing an unprecedented collapse in global ?sheries (World Fish Center; Meyers and Worm 2003; Worm et al. 2006). For them, technology-driven intensi?cation is an - dinary and unremarkable extension of past practice. Opponents counter with images of marine and freshwater environments devastated by intensive aquaculture pr- tices producing unsustainable and unhealthy food products. They view the promised revolutionasascam,nothingmorethanclever marketingbypro?t-hungry ?shfa- ers looking for ways to distract the public from the real harms done by aquaculture. The stark contrast between proponents and opponents of modern aquaculture recalls decades of disputes about intensive terrestrial plant and animal agriculture, disputes whose vigor shows that the debate is about much more than food production (Ruse and Castle 2002).