Could aquaculture address the rising global protein demand?
The business of producing high quality protein in water has a lot going for it; lower energy needs, better utilization of feed stuffs, and the need for less land, among else.
FishfarmingXpert, Odd Grydeland, December 19, 2011
In a comment to an article about aquaculture and its potential to feed the world posted by the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet web site, one Dallas E. Weaver writes- among else:
Because fish and shrimp don’t have to spend energy standing up or keeping warm, they have an inherent advantage over land animals in feed conversion ratio (FCR -- feed per kg of animal). Most aquatic animal also have a better meat yield fraction that land animals (less bone, brains, etc) which nets about a factor of 3 total improvement in meat yield per kg of feed shifting from pigs and chickens to aquaculture products. This means that with the existing "feed stuffs" availability in the animal feed industry, we could produce enough meat to satisfy the meat demand of the coming extra 3 billion people on this planet and the demand for the existing 2 billion who don't have enough meat, without increasing agriculture acreage devoted to animal feeds.
However, in the US a bunch of environmental activists (eNGO's like Pew Environmental, Lenfest, Oceana, NRDC, WWF etc.) have found an ideal target for fund-raising purposes in the virtually non-existent US aquaculture industry, an opponent that can’t afford to fight a multi-million dollar integrated anti-aquaculture campaign. As a consequence of this activity by ENGO’s, their narrative of distortions of facts and outright lies now totally dominates the legal processes and public perception in the US. Aquaculture can’t become a mature industry in the US.
An example of the lies and distortions is the insistence on a “color added” label on farmed salmon. This refers to the identical chemical that causes the red color in wild salmon and also causes the red color in “red yeast” sold in health food stores and chilly peppers- it is a required nutrient for salmon and a natural anti-oxidant. However, the label deters many from even considering consuming the fish.
According to its web site, the Nourishing the Planet project assesses the state of agricultural innovations—from cropping methods to irrigation technology to agricultural policy—with an emphasis on sustainability, diversity, and ecosystem health, as well as productivity. The project aims to both inform global efforts to eradicate hunger and raise the profile of these efforts. The project also considers the institutional infrastructure needed by each of the approaches analyzed, suggesting what sort of companion investments are likely to determine success—from local seed banks to processing facilities, from pro-poor value chains to marketing bureaus.
The article to which Mr. Weaver was providing his comments was written by Emily Gilbert- a research intern with the Nourishing the Planet project;
Is Aquaculture the Answer to Rising Global Protein Demand?
According to a recent report by the World Fish Center, while natural fish stocks are being rapidly depleted, aquaculture, or the farming of fish and other aquatic species, could play an important role in meeting rising global demand for marine and freshwater products. Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production systems in the world—it grew over 21-fold since 1970. Currently, half of the seafood we eat comes from aquaculture, and as the human population continues to rise, demand for marine and freshwater products is likely to continue to grow. There are many positive aspects to aquaculture. When compared to global livestock production, aquaculture requires less land, water, and natural resources. Farming fish is a comparatively more efficient way of supplying protein primarily because fish are coldblooded and have low metabolic rates.
This results in more units of energy of protein produced for each unit of energy it took to raise the fish. Aquaculture may also be the only means to markedly increase future seafood production, causing less detrimental impacts to marine ecosystems than fishing. Furthermore, not only can aquaculture provide nutritious food, fishing and fish farming generate income and employment to millions of communities around the world. Trade in marine and freshwater products can help alleviate poverty and contribute to national economic growth in many developing countries.
The World Fish Center states that while aquaculture has many positive characteristics, particularly in light of the current state of global fisheries and livestock, the degree of environmental impact depends greatly on a variety of factors, including the particular species being farmed, and the production system being used. The wide range of impact between different production methods indicates the need for improved regional learning networks where new technologies and sustainable methodologies can be disseminated to other producers, particularly those in the developing world. Aquaculture has a great potential to meet rising demand with limited impact to the environment, while also providing employment and economic opportunity to impoverished communities. These efforts, however, are stymied by poor oversight and inconsistent regulation. If aquaculture is to achieve its production potential with limited impact on the environment, the public and private sector will need to develop a coordinated and consistent policy, and a robust regulatory and management framework.
